The Burden Within Haruno Sakura
by BellaSakura1
Summary: They were done for, Madara was left undefeated. What'll happen when a broken Kunoichi is chosen to bear a heavier burden than anyone else, on her dainty shoulders? Will she ever find the courage to love? To bring peace upon the ninja world? When truth about her past is revealed, what will she do? Haruno Sakura is sent in the past 19-20 years ago. MinaSaku Time-Travel
1. Kunoichi's Burden

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto**

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**WARNING! Contains Spoilers, Blood, Language, and Violence!**

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**A/N: **Hey guys! I love the couple Minato x Sakura, I still love Sasori x Sakura, It's just that I can love more than one pairing with Sakura! Ha-ha, anyhow, I wanted to write a story of my own with MinaSaku centric. I had found some stories from other people's profiles and decided to read them, and I'm glad I did! I never considered MinaSaku, ever! And now I absolutely love them! The stories and them together, love it, one of my favorite couples. In the actual anime I love Kushina x Minato, but off the screen I love MinaSaku. So, now onto the story! And please let me know how I'm doing! Love you all!

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**(On the Battlefield) **

Sakura's POV

The sky was irritatingly ironic to the situation that was at hand. A clear azure with no clouds and no chances of precipitation. It was late afternoon, according to my internal clock, the deep and brilliant viridian and emerald hues of the trees, the coffee and taupe brown ground, the turquoise and azure water, were slowly fading, or changing to a different color altogether. It was once beautiful, I had drank in everything that I came across that acquired beauty, unless I'm in a heated fight, which has turned into a constant in my life ever since the war started three years ago.

Now, the trees are torn in half, and burnt to ash, the ground an ugly burgundy, from the constant smearing of blood, fresh and aged and also had many craters and dead bodies scattered every which way. As was the water, the blood seeped in, from battles both on land and the waters.

My hair had now grown longer, now reaching past my maturing breasts to my waist, though I always wore it up in a high ponytail, or I would've just chopped off my cherry locks, like usual. I was happy to find out I'm not so flat-chested anymore, but I had more serious and urgent matters to attend to, than to worry about my new bra-size. Moving with mastered stealth through the ruined trees, I made my way to aid my comrades. Having defeated several resurrected Shinobi originated from Kumogakure, I had been separated from my Third Division teammates.

I had been ranked Anbu-medic and Captain, after being promoted Jonin from completing a month long S-rank mission and returning home successful. After Jonin, the start of the war had Shishou rank me higher, and I have been completing several missions with information gathering behind enemy lines. Now, I've been more focused with healing countless patients, our numbers were depleting. Quickly. I myself couldn't grasp the fact that the odds showed that Madara…was winning this war…

I was forced from my trance as I sensed unfamiliar chakra signatures behind me, though they were hiding their chakra well, with my perfect chakra control, I could sense almost the faintest of chakra from a good distance away from me now.

I maneuvered out of the way from a colossal amount of explosive kunai, aimed for my cherry-blossom colored head.

Performing several back flips from the exploding debris, then using a strong tree for support as my feet balanced on the side and pushed off with enough momentum to rebound on my attackers. With my fist pulled back only to zoom forward and crush the already deceased ninja's skull, then acted to immediately seal them as to not allow them to rejuvenate again.

Balling my hands into fists, I forced those previous thoughts of losing to banish.

I tenderly touched my forehead, where the Yin seal was currently missing, as I already used it to revive numerous Shinobi along with Shishou, but once the lilac rhombus returns to my forehead, it will remain a forever permanence of me, of my true power I worked and trained my ass for three years, would stick on my brow until the next time I need it in dire situations. I have surpassed Shishou, many have concluded and Tsunade-Shishou herself said so.

The war had hardened me to the bone. I still have emotions, but they made me strong, who I am now, not the useless crybaby in my Genin days. Now I was Haruno Sakura, Kunoichi of Konohagakure. Anbu-medic Captain and former apprentice and disciple of The Fifth Hokage, Tsunade-Shishou.

I bounded my way through the dense forest and followed Kakashi-sensei's spiked chakra, meaning he was engaged in battle.

'_I have to help him, I won't forgive myself if another friend and comrade died under my care.'_

After years of learning new powerful Jutsu and everything that my teacher could pass down to me, plus using spare time to train myself, was a waste when a comrade was in need. Now we lost Sasuke-kun, Kiba-kun, Neji-san, Lee-san, Kurenai-sensei and her baby, Temari-chan and now Ino-pig and Sai-kun.

Not even war can fully take away my emotions…I constantly fight back my tears and swallow the huge lump in my throat, making it hard to breathe or talk on occasion. I hardly have time to let my mind wander, but when I'm alone, it's like the plague or a virus, it ricochets back to you every time you push it away, but it will come back with more force then previously.

My vision starts to fog up and moisten. I have been emotionally shattered for a long time now, more so than when I found out Sasuke-kun was branded an international criminal and fugitive, way worse. Beyond description.

'_Damn it. I have to be strong for my brother, for you, Uzumaki Naruto.' _

Despite my wishes, fresh tears stained my blood-stained cheeks and dripped behind me, for I was still moving through the dead area that was barely recognizable to be called nature.

The ground started swaying…!

As if I were intoxicated or the ground was a blanket and someone decided to shake out the dust.

Brain on high alert and adrenaline pulsing with my chakra, I snap my head to glance behind me lightning fast to where I heard it snap, but I didn't give a damn if it's strained or broken, someone or something was going to envelope me with the rising boulders, then I'd be worse off than with just a broken neck.

Pushing chakra to my dainty and hardened feet, I charged more to the left.

'_If this turns to a fight, I have to keep it away from Kakashi-sensei.'_

After more running, it was suspicious.

'_Why don't I sense the enemy? What the hell am I missing?!'_

Then it hit me in the gut, literally, as I was sent through two trees until meeting the boulders.

'_Uh…how the hell…?'_

"Please forgive me…I have no control over my actions." A pleading and sad voice reached my ears.

I gaze up with one eye and peer at my attacker. Then both eyes open and widen, mouth ajar, with pity in my orbs.

"Nohara Rin."

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**(A few miles away)**

Obito's POV

I had fought Kakashi, my ex best friend, and came out nearly victorious, as he was in worse shape than me, though I can practically feel that he's been holding back on killing me.

"Quit holding back, I'm your enemy now, you should realize that and protect your comrades. Or have you not changed at all? Are you still lower than scum, eh, Kakashi?" I ask, watching him regain his mobility and shakily stood up, looking me dead in the eye with one of my Sharingan staring back at me.

I would have killed him already, if it weren't for the ties I still have with him and other precious people, no matter how slim I strip the rope, it wouldn't break completely, plus I wasn't a low life, a Shinobi never strikes an enemy when he can't even defend himself.

Kakashi remained silent, his eyes giving away that he was thinking through everything all the while looking broken, having to fight his former best friend.

"I told you I would become stronger than you!" I added, but back then I never thought things would've turned out as they are now, I wanted to surpass my rival and best friend, not to prove it in a fight to the death.

"Y-yeah, you are stronger, Obito. I just wish I wasn't so stupid and naïve back then, then none of this would've happened…" Kakashi looked solemn and fought back his emotions with tightened fists and now looking downward as if in shame.

"But, I have changed, you were the one to change me Obito." At this I stared at a smiling face, or more of an eye-crinkle, with a look of confusion and shock adorning my own features.

'_I changed you, Kakashi?' _

"You were the one who taught me what really matters. What I neglected in seeing, in finding out more of. You helped me escape hell, now I wish to return the favor, as you are still my best friend and comrade. And, you still have goodness in your heart, I can see through your actions, Obito." Now my eyes held softness but were still widened after hearing his approval of me, instead of belittling me like in the past.

"Obito, Rin wouldn't have wanted this. She would've stepped in and put some sense into us for fighting each other. If you became who you are now because of her and me, then maybe you should think about what she'd see us as right now." Just saying her name brought out pain, and I could tell it was hard for Kakashi to say this out loud too.

"She was my only light, I loved her and always will! When I saw her die protecting Konoha I couldn't control myself…I was in so much pain, that I turned to Madara and went on with his plans-"

"Obito!" I snap up to stare at him intensely, him returning my stare with as much force.

"You can still change things!"

"NO! It's too late, Madara's the Juubi's Jinchuuriki, he already killed the Kage your Hokage as well, along with Uzumaki Naruto!"

The pained emotions came back full force on his face as he was completely contorted and nearly overwhelmed with this new information, catching a few glistening tears escape his eyes and drip to the floor.

I couldn't blame him, and since I have regretted following Madara's plans and wish make everything better.

Then everything started to brighten, losing sight of Kakashi and the scenery until it was only white, then my vision focused and saw my former best friend across from me and a young woman in red robes that cascaded past the floor around her. She had long brown hair and brown eyes. My hopes lit up, only to backfire on me, remembering it can't be my beloved Rin…

"Wh-what? Who are you?" Kakashi stated, or more of demanded to the unknown person. A lot of power and chakra emitted off her in waves that it would've been suffocating if it weren't creating the opposite affect of calming me, feeling at peace, compared to seconds prior.

"Don't be alarmed, I came to both of you to inform you of an alternate decision, that requires a certain Kunoichi."

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**(Back with Sakura and Rin)**

Sakura's POV

The girl was just how Kakashi had described her, though her eyes held pity, pain and sadness with black covering the outside of her pupil, they still held the soft brown eyes that showed her kindhearted soul to the world, and she was beautiful.

"You must be Kakashi's student. I'm sorry to have to meet such a respected and beautiful Kunoichi like this." The poor girl held her head in shame like this was all her fault, when it really was the teme Kabuto's doing. He'll get severe hell for all he's done, I thought with rage tasted on my tongue.

"Rin, it's okay, it's not your fault at all. Please don't hold yourself accountable, when it's not your doing in the first place, though, I have to fight you and return you to a better place."

"Thank you. But I must warn you, I have been put as the Jinjuuriki of the three tails again, so I'm merely an upgrade."

"Don't worry, I'll put an end to your misery, just please yell out when I have to counter your Jutsu, as I'm worn out from engaging in five other battles today."

At this, the girl sent me a radiant smile, pure genuine.

"Will do. So how is Kakashi, and Obito? What is your name if I may ask." Rin questioned while sending kunai my direction. Countering them and sending an Earth spear from the earth, I answered her every question.

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**(With Kakashi and Obito)**

No One's POV

The mysterious person had explained everything to the two former best friends, listening intently to every detail and processing it to their brains. They both had doubts at first if the woman was telling the truth or if she was hoaxing them, but neither could really argue with her as she continued on, seeming to make the men understand her motives.

The alien atmosphere made the men calm, and content, something rarely experienced during a war, especially an ongoing one for three years.

"So, that is who Haruno Sakura really is, and she is chosen by the gods to carry a heavy burden, a Kunoichi's Burden."

"Sakura… our Cherry blossom…since we will cease to exist, may I donate my chakra to her as well? As a farewell gift and reminder that I love her like my own daughter?"

The Hime nodded.

"Of course Kakashi, it would be stored in her new seal, along with her possessing her Kekkai Genkai."

"I would also like to give her my chakra."

"Obito, you have changed for the better." Hime smiled fondly.

The light diminished but Hime appeared on the battleground with the men, their previous moods now ones of determination and courage.

They all took off in the direction of the pink-haired spitfire.

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**(With Sakura and Rin)**

Sakura's POV

I managed to pin Rin to a tree, kunai pierced her arms and legs to the thick and charred trunk, keeping her in place with a kunai at her neck. I had been able to put up a fight against the beast, but now I'm winded. Panting hard, I continue talking to Rin.

"I'm sorry Rin, this isn't how I wanted us to meet." I smiled sheepishly.

"Me too Sakura." She returned the gesture and it nearly melted my heart. But before killing her and sealing her away into the afterlife, I needed to let her know something. She was already saddened by what happened to everybody, Kakashi-sensei and Obito as well.

"Rin?" I ask to get her attention again.

"Hm?"

"You are one of the people I admire. You chose to save Konoha over sparing your life, that's a person who is kindhearted, selfless, and contains the Will of Fire. Plus you're very beautiful." I told her, waiting for her reaction.

She gazed at me with surprise, admiration and gratitude.

"Thank you, Sakura. I'm glad I have some people who admire my sacrifice. I can tell that you possess the same characteristics as you described, and you're also beautiful."

I was about to respond, but was distracted when her face turned into horror, then yelling for me to block upcoming Katanas aimed for my stomach, I realized too late, not being able to sense in time, I turned around, but the deadly weapon never came in contact with my torso. My eyes widen in horror at the sight in front of me. My own two civilian parents both took the blows for me.

Any other time, and I would've frozen with shock, but war had made me used to such situations to where I acted immediately.

"MOM! DAD!" I yell, frantic at what I just witnessed and desperately start pouring my chakra into both of them.

Another blur of black and blue caught my eye for a split second before focusing on my dying parents.

"Sakura, you shouldn't be so careless." My mom said while smiling and blood dripping from her mouth, her and dad were now laying on the ground while I pulled out the Katanas gently. The enemies no where except for Sensei, and…Obito!

"You gave us a scare, and stop healing us, it won't save us now and you know it." Dad states in a matter-of-fact tone.

I sob loudly, letting the tears escape,

"Why?!"

"Because we wanted you to have a chance for a better life. But there's no time now, Hime will explain everything, but before our time is up…"

Mom and Dad both placed their forefingers and middle fingers on my forehead and felt a sensation, almost the fresh feeling like you experience with mint.

Then Kakashi and Obito did the same procedure. While Rin observed everything with almost the same expressions I'm giving off.

"We love you, Sakura dear." Mom and Dad Said.

"You were like a daughter to me, so I love you Sakura-chan." Kakashi gave me his signature eye crinkle.

"It was nice meeting you, Sakura." Rin smiled at me.

Then Obito came to me, "Sakura, if you can, please forgive my actions, and protect Kakashi and Rin, and make sure I don't 'die'."

Everyone seemed so sincere, it all didn't make sense! But everything started fading into a white abyss. I had to respond, even though I didn't know what they were talking about. So, with a sad smile and tears flowing down my face, I replied,

"With my life, Obito." He gave me a kind smile of his own, and now I saw the boy that Sense briefly told us about.

"I love you all." I added.

"Don't worry Sakura-chan, Hime will tell you everything and it'll all make sense." Obito elaborated giving me a thumbs-up, before no one came in view and I was in complete white, until I made out a figure in red and brown.


	2. My Guardian-Hime

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto**

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**A/N: **Thanks so much everyone! I really appreciate and love the support and feedback you give me. And there's no way in hell I'll give up or quit writing my stories, it just all depends on time quantity. Since Winter break is after this Friday, then I'll be spending more time writing and updating, so don't worry J! So here's chapter 2! Enjoy!

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"Don't worry Sakura-chan, Hime will tell you everything and it'll all make sense." Obito elaborated giving me a thumbs-up, before no one came in view and I was in complete white, until I made out a figure in red and brown.

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Normal POV

Sakura peered at the mysterious woman who was now distinguishable in the white abyss. A breeze could be felt as her cherry locks held in her usual ponytail swayed lightly towards her left, and the blowing wind tickled and teased her bangs that framed her slightly flushed face.

The flower paid no heed to the light wind, she was cautious of the woman yet she felt as if she knew this person from somewhere. Kind brown doe eyes, with matching waist long hair. Then her silk red dress held a layer of lace over the smooth silk, complimenting her form until it completely fanned out at the bottom, surrounding her like a halo. Her skin a soft peach tint.

The confused ninja found herself staring too long, though she couldn't look anywhere else, there simply wasn't anywhere to look without it being just a blinding snow color.

With a slow raise of her hand, the woman beckoned Sakura to come to her side, the mysterious woman's eyes holding such warmth and purity in their chocolate depths, that Sakura almost felt like crying, her feelings were at peace for the moment, something she never encountered or had the luxury to obtain for years until now.

"Come here, Sakura-chan. I have to explain things to you and I believe you have questions of your own." Taking the first few steps forward, the young adult sauntered on over to the waiting woman who now sat on a patch of long, luscious grass that seemed to appear out of nowhere.

She took the place right beside the woman, the length of the woman's crimson dress was pulled to her other side, giving Sakura room for sitting, as another small patch big enough for Sakura to sit comfortably emerged and formed to use as a seat. She sat with the knees bent and arms crossing over them as if trying to contain what sanity remained or she would shatter, which the troubled flower would've expressed more of, if not for the calming and soothing aura that radiated in huge waves off the woman, and felt the sensation as if her chest cavity was nearly drugged and the pain numbed temporarily within the flowers' tampered and abused heart.

Sakura rested her calm gaze upon the angelic, and familiar face expectantly, waiting for her to explain some things about the change of circumstances.

She turned towards the pinkette and began talking, her voice all the more familiar and kind.

"You grew up into a beautiful bloomed flower, Sakura-chan. But I had figured as much, plus you're one of the strongest Kunoichi ever known, you became quite popular, as the Hokage's former apprentice and successor."

Sakura's previous depression resurfaced, as she looked away from the brown eyes and held a far away and hurt look in her own viridian ones.

"No…I'm nobody, I have been useless. I just can't deal with this anymore! I have trained and pushed myself constantly, only to have my efforts backfire on me with permanent scars and burning in my shattered heart! I let my comrades die! I wasn't able to do anything…I never could do anything!" Sakura roughly smeared away the spilling tears, she had never been so broken. The war, Madara invading the Nations, her friends and family figures being killed one by one, her not being able to save them in time…she may be known worldwide and popular, looked up upon and respected, but after thinking back on all the times she could've saved another life, she felt useless, like in her days as a Genin.

"Sakura, stop thinking like that! What happened to the famous Spitfire Cherry Bomb of Konoha? With the Fire in her eyes, and the girl-now woman, who has immense strength and the burning will to protect her village and comrades? It's not your fault that they died! You did everything in your power to save them, you're not a miracle-worker or magician after all. They died as loyal Shinobi and you should honor their sacrifice and not let their deaths be taken in vain. Plus, you have saved more lives than anyone else, even your Shishou. Which is logical since you're her successor."

After this remark, Sakura had stopped crying and looked on at the brunette with respect, gratitude and suspicion.

Rubbing her eyes to rid the remaining moisture gently this time, Sakura turned a hardened, and piercing emerald stare towards the opposite's brown ones. A common characteristic of the hot-tempered Haruno, her emotions could do complete 180 degree turns in a second on most occasions.

"Thank you, but, who are you exactly? Where am I? And why do you talk to me as if you've known me my whole life?" Sakura demanded, as calm as was manageable.

The brunette let out a sheepish chuckle before explaining further.

"He-he, I'm hurt Sakura-chan. You don't remember a friend." The woman teased and let out another amused chuckle after peering at Sakura's dumbfounded and irritated expression.

"I'm Ayame, the daughter of Teuchi, who owned Ichiraku's Ramen stand back in Konoha. We are in your subconscious, and I'll answer your last question a little later in the discussion."

'_Ayame-chan…I remember you now. We used to chat a few times while Naruto-baka slurped down a mountain of ramen whenever we came for a visit, usually from a mission.'_

"Sorry Ayame-chan, I guess the war really took a lot out of me without giving anything in return…" Sakura apologized, looking downcast, as she was reminiscing how she and her peers had noticed just how much she had changed, physically, mentally, spiritually, emotionally…

"It's alright, Sakura-chan, it has been three years and counting since we last talked to one another and with your profession, you're bound to forget some things, and knowing you, getting carried away in working and forgetting rest. So, I have to apologize to you, flower."

Now Ayame was more solemn but kept a serious look in her eyes and her mouth in a firm line. What she was about to tell to Sakura would devastate the young-adult, she'll leave her subconscious worse off than the cherry bomb was from just leaving the war in her time empty-handed.

'_She will have to bear a bit more before having time to heal the gashes.' _Thought Ayame with resolve.

"What do you have to apologize for?"

"…You were chosen."

"Chosen…?" Ayame nodded. Then she let her memories be flooded to a screen in front of the both of them as Ayame continued her story while the memories took care of the screenplay.

"Did you ever hear the tale about a young girl disguising herself as a soldier to take her father's place and saved her homeland?"

Now Sakura was the one who nodded, not certain where this was leading to and how it ties into the confusing new environment and burden she is now unknowingly balancing on her dense shoulders, though she was also naïve in not knowing she already had the painful weight pushing her down.

"Well…I was her sister. For her bravery, the Lord of our prosperous land had granted us a palace to live in together, and be known as almost royals and my sister, a heroine I was proud of and loved dearly. But, someone had been lurking in the shadows, I was the only one to suspect anything of the sort. Then in the winter months, it was beautiful, we were happy as a family and living with rare luxuries.

Their was an onlooker and spy for a gang who wanted my sister for military and interrogation reasons. I had warned the Lord, he believed me, though I had been a little late on timing, they already captured my beloved sister. I managed to release Yoki-chan, my sister from their grasp and proceeded to run away with her in front of me." Ayame turned back to Sakura and saw that she was deep in thought with Ayame's story, and waited for it to continue on.

"They charged ahead of me and aimed their blades at Yoki's torso, so I jumped ahead of them and took the blow myself. Yoki was screaming my name, and in her rage, took down all the offenders, and kneeled where I was on the ground with blood spilling out like a filling ocean. I told her to not worry about me and to carry out her role of protecting our home, and to warn the Lord and civilians about the enemies' advancement.

Yoki, my dear sister, with tears in her eyes, told me that I was the best sister anyone could've had and that I was the true hero in her eyes. Little did I know I wouldn't 'die', the gods had taken me as their disciple having seen my actions of being selfless and wishing to protect my home and loved ones, and my role had been to help out various people in need of guidance.

I became known as 'The Guardian Hime'. So, you see, I have been born as a child again, in order to look out for you and keep an eye on your overall development, even though we only talked a handful of times, I was always by making sure you were alright on your own. It seems I did the right thing to leave you on your own most of the time, as it helped you develop and grow more beautifully. I will be in your subconscious and watch over you, lending my power from time to time in dire situations." The images from Hime's story vanished and was replaced by the blinding white light once more.

"Did…Teuchi know about this?"

"My father was well aware of my role in the world, and he seemed honored to have a daughter and one who is a natural protector."

"So…why are you apologizing to me Hime?"

"Sakura… You've been chosen to leave your time to be raised in what you thought was your present, but is actually the future now. You are going back in time 19-20 prior, the timeline in which you were actually born in." At this Sakura paled a sickly powdery complexion.

"You've been chosen to carry a much heavier weight on your dainty shoulders than anyone else ever has. You are put in charge of changing the future! So none of what you witnessed doesn't repeat itself and lead to the destruction of all Nations and no sole survivor, even the enemies were to turn on each other if you've stayed in your false timeline. And, I'm sorry child, but Naruto and Tsunade were defeated in the pile of bodies as well." Ayame-Hime's eyes started to water at the sight before her. Poor Sakura let out several pained wails and was crying a river, sobs rattling her body as she trashed her hands into the two patches of grass to relieve built up pain and stress that would be enough to kill anyone, but Sakura was stubborn and strong. She didn't dare think to not treat the symptoms, she refused to die of anything but taking the place of a comrade and receiving the finishing blow to herself, a touching yet heartbreaking ending.

She just couldn't hold it in any longer, all the built up emotions and forced back tears, all the lumps in her throat, all the eye full of dead bodies, blood, responsibility, death…her friends dead…her brotherly figure and best friend Naruto, dead…her motherly figure and teacher, dead…

'_drip drip' _

Sakura's tears were creating a pool on the ground, as it was like a rapid rainfall of salty water.

"Cry your heart out flower, you have time. And though only your spiritual self is with me here, don't be afraid to cry sometimes, when you're awake."

And so, Ayame-Hime held onto a torn apart version of Konoha's Cherry Bomb in her arms, letting the tears soak her dress, not having a care in the world that it would be ruined.

An hour passed, and the tears diminished to soft sniffles and whimpers.

"N-Naruto-kun will be okay since I'll change the future, right? An Shishou will be around…my parents…"

"Once you lose someone, it's never exactly the same person who comes back."

That was enough for Sakura to understand its hidden meaning.

"Now, it's time form you to go, but we will see each other again soon, and I have more I need to tell you, but that can wait. Right now there are people worried about you. And, I'm sorry, but since you've been sent back in time, the portal isn't friendly. You'll awake in Konoha's forest outside the gates with several more injuries than when you had been in your previous time.

Also, go to the Hokage and give him an important paper explaining and showing proof of your situation, it's in you front pants pocket of your Anbu uniform. Find trust and make friends with your real classmates. Some people you want to see are anxious about you, so go."

With that Hime pecked Sakura's cheek and flicked her forehead affectionately. Then, Sakura was alone. Feeling the breeze again, she left her subconscious, and began sensing her surroundings of the outside world with her eyes closed.

She heard voices close to her body on the floor of the forest.

"I've managed to heal some of her injuries and bruises, and cleaned some of the blood off. We just need to gently wake her up and see if she can walk. Kakashi, is Minato Sensei almost here?" Stated a soft soprano girl voice.

"Yeah Rin. He should be done with his task, and use his Thunder God technique to get to us, since I have one of his kunai." a slight baritone boyish voice responded.

'_Wait…! Rin, Kakashi, Minato!' _

I then feel cool fingers at my neck.

"The pretty Anbu lady still has a pulse, but it's slow…We should do something? I want to help a comrade of our village! Not see one die!" another boyish and frantic sound reached my sweat damped ears.

"Calm down Obito, Rin already healed some of her wounds, she has a pulse, and Sensei will be here soon."

'_Obito!'_

'_How ironic' _Mused Sakura, _'The people I saw last in the 'future' are the first people I see waking up in the 'present'. _

I try and talk or open my eyes, but even that feels like hell. I manage a soft groan, but that luckily seemed to get everyone's attention to my face, as I felt their eyes on me.

"Hey, are you okay miss?" Obito asked, worry still evident in his voice. I slowly open my tired and pained emerald doe eyes to rest upon Obito's face, which was a mix of some boyish features but still was handsome. His eyes were so full of pure concern it melted my heart.

"Y-yeah, I'll l-live. Some water, p-please?" She croaked out in between raspy breaths from being battered to a pulp, along with dehydration, and shakily set herself in a sitting position, with her tiger Anbu mask split in half by her side on the ground.

"Yeah, sure. You gave us a scare, back there! We were coming from a mission and then we see you here and immediately wanted to help you out, ya' know, since you're a comrade to Konoha." Obito explained while handing Sakura a canteen and sending her his signature grin that was adorable and heartwarming.

"Thank you all very much. I'll make it up to you all for helping me. But now, I need to get to the hospital." Handing Obito the canteen, and returning her own breathtaking smile, she hastily got on her feet and her appendages and long toned legs protested against the act.

"Wait miss-"

"Sakura." Said woman corrected Rin.

"Sakura-san, it might be best to wait for our Sensei." The girl reasoned, pity in her gorgeous brown eyes, as she looked over at a battered yet still beautiful Sakura, trying to stand on her own feet.

"He'll carry you to the hospital. Just need to wait a minute or two." Kakashi said, looking at me with two onyx eyes, instead of one onyx and another red.

I scanned over the three current Chunin in front of me. Obito was handsome, sweet, and had way more emotions than other certain Uchihas, like the teme Sasuke, and I could practically sense the waves of rivalry emitting off the two boys, Obito had wanted to prove himself to Kakashi, remembered Sakura. Rin was beautiful, kind-hearted and held determination in her chocolate orbs, probably to strive farther in training and becoming a great medic. Then, her Sensei. It was so odd for the Anbu to look upon a much shorter version of the person who was like a father to her. And to see him without his famous Sharingan.

'_Not that he'll get it anyway, I won't let that mission to be successful but with the cost of a comrade, I'll make sure everyone makes out alive!'_

Vowed Sakura, determination and her protective instinct being shown on the outside as her eyes turned to slight glares with deep thought. Realizing what she was doing, she immediately softened her features and smiled gratefully at the team.

"Thanks, I guess that's a good-" But before she could finish, her whole body froze for a second before falling forward and losing consciousness.

But Sakura didn't register that she landed on a hard toned chest and had strong arms enveloping her, anchoring her from falling on the ground head-first.

"Sensei!"

"Hey team. So this woman is the one who you all saw on the verge of death?"

"Y-yeah, and she just collapsed, right when you came Sensei. Is she going to be okay?" Rin asked, worry painted all over her face, as well as Obito's and Kakashi's.

"Yeah, Rin. We'll just take her to the hospital and send our report to the Hokage and tell him about this woman's condition. Let's go." Minato enjoined his team. They all nodded, as their Sensei lifted the petite girl, bridal style and ran through the tree branches towards home.

The strikingly attractive Yellow Flash of Konoha peered down at the pinkette resting in his arms, she fit in them perfectly.

'_She is beautiful' _Minato contemplated. Taking in her form. Never in his life had he thought the colors green and pink would compliment each other suitably.

The hurried rush of the wind brushed her bangs lightly on her heart-shaped face. Long black eyelashes adorning her eyes. He had caught a glimpse at her piercing emerald orbs, but they looked troubled or pained, but definitely had a far-away look in them, like he had gone unnoticed by her when he appeared right in front of her.

A lilac rhombus was in the middle of her forehead, reminding him of the one Tsunade-san had, but the pinkette's seal was flanked with foreign identical distinct Sakura blossoms that were smaller than the dark lilac seal and sat by the lower ends of the rhombus. The blossoms had five petals and were pink, with very fine magenta veins curving slightly off either side of her forehead from the flowers, though it wasn't taking up too much space, as their was still room for the actual skin of the forehead to be a pale peach.

Taking his eyes off her, Minato skillfully avoided large jutted branches and leapt to the ground, as the Village gates were in view.

* * *

**Two days later**

The Kunoichi let out a soft audible sigh, staring up at the plain white ceiling of Konoha's Hospital. She had regained some strength and woke up from her sudden black out yesterday, but the nurses would have none of it. She was forced to remain in the building, giving the pinkette a clear view of the Hokage monument, where their were only three faces carved on it currently.

Now she knew why the stubborn ninja always tried to keep their damn pride and man up, and stay quiet about their injuries when a hospital was near. It gave her too much time to herself. It was so boring, with nothing to do, and it didn't help any when the forbidden thoughts and memories always seemed to weasel into her mind and cause her to be depressed and block out the rest of the world.

She was a woman of action, she needed to have something to do! Not involving laying in bed with an unnecessary IV tube in me and in Hospital garbs, which she had wondered who had changed her while she was out.

Even punching her way out of there seemed like heaven, but that would only be more troublesome later. Heh, she was sounding more like Shikamaru, more or less likely from all the time spent with the lazy Nara, playing Shogi and just talking. From battle strategies and tactics to what they had for lunch.

As if her prayers were finally answered, the creak of the door opening brought her out of her trance and focused on the occupant.

"I see your awake and want to get out of here, eh?"

Realization dawned on the girl as she raised herself in a sitting position and let out a sharp gasp.

"Hokage-sama!"

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**A/N: **YAY! Chapter 2 is finished, I'm so happy that a lot of people love this fanfic, and I only had one-now two chapters published and already have several alerts on my story! Thank you all again for the support and letting me know how I'm doing! I can take good or bad comments, and I try my best to make my writing with little to no mistakes and continue bettering my writing skills. After all, I'm a freshman in High school, so I try. He-he. Love ya'!


	3. Team Minato

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto**

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**A/N:**Ohayo everyone! I've returned with a new chapter for you all to devour.

**Dis**Not literally! Again, I am really astounded that so many people like my story already. I appreciate the love! Keep it coming! :D He-he, well, you're all in for a treat if you've been enticed with the first two chapters of my story. Now read! Oh, and if you like the couple Sasori x Sakura, be sure to read my story on my profile page, its called **Reasons to Love, Hate, and Start a War**. I'll shut up now. Love ya'! :D

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"I see your awake and want to get out of here, eh?"

Realization dawned on the girl as she raised herself in a sitting position and let out a sharp gasp.

"Hokage-sama!"

* * *

"In the flesh." The younger version of the highly respected and compassionate Sarutobi let a smile adorn his face, without the wrinkles that had indicated how wise he was, but Sakura still identified the fondness Hokage-sama held for Konohagakure and all the people inside the village gates, civilian and Shinobi alike.

"It seems you're an Anbu-level Kunoichi of Konoha, mind explaining to me why this is, when I don't remember ever even meeting a pink haired woman before?" Underneath the calmly asked question, was a demanding order, Sakura was all too familiar with the hidden language behind gestures and everything else included. She wasn't the Slug Queen's former apprentice without obtaining that essential knowledge like the back of her hand.

"With pleasure, Hokage-sama. But may I please have time to change and to explain everything in your office, as it is very important and I can't have many people know of my secret. And please don't be worried, I mean our home no harm of any sorts, you'll just need me to explain and prove everything in the privacy of your headquarters." Sakura replied, not missing a beat, as her once parched mouth had a treatment of soothing chakra and gallons of water and tea.

The third Hokage nodded and was about to leave, but then said to the Kunoichi,

"Your old uniform had been washed and mended, it's in this closet." He said pointing to the small long cabinet across the normal-sized room.

"Oh, and Team Minato brought you these. They were the people who carried you here as well." He gestured to a small vase filled with fresh cut vibrant purple tulips sitting elegantly on a small desk on her left. It greatly contrasted with the white walls of the hospital room that Sakura was surprised and sad that she didn't notice them, what with her continuous thinking and looking beyond the only window at the Hokage Monument.

They were beautiful. Flowers were a rarity when practically living on the bloody and rusty battlefield for three years. And the fact that Kakashi's Genin team brought these was unnecessary yet it was generous and kind of them. Ino and herself had learned that flowers will both boost energy and lessen feelings of anxiety and depression. They have a positive impact on people, seems a logical explanation why the cherry blossom hadn't had any haunting nightmares while in the secure plain walls of Konoha's hospital. Nor had she shed a tear, just had a far away look in her darkening emerald doe eyes.

She has much to owe them, the team, and she'd gladly give her life to preserve their own lives and safety. She already took an immediately liking to them and she promised Obito that shed protect his team with her life. She would be honored to be that person to aid them in dire need.

She just needed to ask a request from the beloved Hokage that she grew up respecting and looking up to.

Standing up from the bed, detaching the dumb IV, she walked over to the desk in her disposable garbs and gently stroked the rich violet hued petals. The bulbs were partly opened, exposing the gold yellow center, and inhaled. She knew that tulips had no particular smell to them, but she didn't care, she literally hadn't seen a flower of any kind in the three gruesome years of war.

Sakura let out a soft content sigh before boring her eyes on the Hokage's own brown ones, holding mirth at her antics, sort of catching on at what she had gone through to react like that to a mere flower.

"I'll give you some privacy. I presume you know the way to Hokage Tower?"

"Yes, of course."

"Then I'll see you in a bit, and what's your name?"

"Sakura…Haruno Sakura."

'_So, she's a Haruno. Only the Hokage, myself included, know about that clan and their powerful Kekkai Genkai, I guess I should've recognized the Sakura blossoms and veins on either side of her…yin seal it looks like. But she has two blossoms instead of one, this will be interesting.'_ thought the Hokage.

"Alright Sakura, don't keep me waiting too long." The Hokage waved with a soft smile and left the room, granting the Kunoichi to examine her good-as-new Anbu Uniform. Finding the sealed document in her front pants pocket like Hime had told her, she quickly dressed up and buckled on her sturdy knee-length boots, she checked out of the building, heading down Konoha's busy-going streets towards the all too familiar Tower.

Taking in her surroundings, from the cheerful moods of many roaming civilians and ninja to the undamaged nor discolored lush trees and pavement roads. The sun was closer to the horizon as it was early morning, though still making its daily journey across the cloudless sky.

Finishing the five minute walk, she ran up the stairs two at a time for some quick cardio to get her heart going. As it was a long three-flight trip to the Hokage's office.

With an abrupt nod towards his assistant, she rapped her hand on the wood, then entering the room when hearing the approval of entrance.

"Hokage-sama." Sakura bowed respectfully towards the busy leader of the village.

"Hello again Sakura-chan, you were going to tell me secretive information right? I have soundproofed the walls, so you may speak freely." The Hokage had permitted, stating it calmly and addressing Sakura as if she were a friend to him in this particular timeline. Taking in a steady breath Sakura handed the contents in the sealed document to the patient man.

"This document was given to me from Ayame-hime, the gods' disciple and famous heroine of her time."

With more perked interest, the man took it gently and examined it. Performing the correct hand signs, the document unlocked.

'_What did Hime give me anyway that's inside that document anyway?' _Wondered Sakura.

Searching the man's focused and serious features, Sakura observed his eyes rapidly scanning the contents of whatever Ayame-hime gave Sakura and watched in confusion and growing uneasiness, as his face turned to utter horror and shock. He seemed to read over it a few more times, most-likely trying to prove his eyes were playing tricks on him.

Then ripping his intense stare from the papers, he gestured to the cherry bomb to come closer. Doing so with tense shoulders and furrowed pink eyebrows, the pinkette questioned the Hokage,

"Everything alright, Hokage-sama?"

The paper had explained various things from the Hime's perspective, and what made the Hokage scared was that it had the cursed mark of her family written in her own blood, and it was still crimson, fresh…!

"May I watch and look at your memories, Sakura-chan?" Sakura stood dumbfounded, until realization as to what his request implied made way to her features, and she complied. Placing a hand on her forehead the Hokage went through all of Sakura's memories with access thanks to her Inner.

Starting from when she was just a girl, crying about the constant teasing of her large forehead. Meeting Ino. The best friend relationship. Giving the third Hokage some fresh flowers. Her academy days. Graduation day. Meeting her Sensei and teammates. Their first B-rank mission. The fight against Zabuza and Haku. More missions and drama. Then the Chunin exams. Orochimaru attacking Konoha and his experiments being in the limelight. The Third's fight against his student, and his own death. Tsunade as the Fifth Hokage.

Sakura desperately trying to reason with Sasuke to stay with their team. Being knocked out by him with a simple _thank you _and leaving her on the bench. Her pleading to Naruto to bring back their teammate home before leaving in the Sasuke retrieval arc. The mission being a failure, Sakura tells Naruto that next time she wouldn't be a burden. The departure of Kakashi and Naruto, leaving her alone. Asking Tsunade to train her medical-ninjutsu and to become stronger. Three years later, they reunite. Being sent to help retrieve Gaara from Akatsuki's clutches. Sakura's fight against Sasori. Them later getting a new teammate-Sai. Having many other missions and getting closer to finding Sasuke, now a criminal and fugitive after killing Orochimaru and joining the Akatsuki. Attack on Konoha courtesy of Akatsuki, the village in ruins.

Konoha's people resurrected, and many Akatsuki dead at this point, though Tsunade underwent a coma from helping her village. Sakura going on an S-Rank month long mission, and after it being a success became a Jonin. Danzo nominated the Sixth Hokage. _Madara _making his move and declaring the Fourth Shinobi War after interfering in the Kage Summit. Sakura depressed with the turn of events. Tsunade waking up in time to rank Sakura Anbu-medic and Captain. Danzo killed for his past betrayal and true intentions. The war breaking out, with Kabuto helping with the use of the Second Hokage's Forbidden Jutsu. Watching Sakura restlessly help many patients at once, then going behind enemy lines in her Anbu garbs and tiger mask. Watching as she desperately tried pushing chakra into her comrades to make their heart beat again. Watching her swallow the tears and throat lumps. Her emerald fire diminishing, as her orbs took on darker hues.

Madara winning the war, most everyone killed off, including Tsunade and Naruto. Then, watching her fight a resurrected Rin, and later meeting Obito and Kakashi and Sakura's parents taking fatal blows for her. Her saying goodbye and finally, meeting Ayame-hime.

Two hours had passed, as Sakura had watched her memories play through her head like a movie from her subconscious along with the astounded and heart-broken Hokage watching all the events unfold.

Breaking away, they both had solemn auras radiating off them in suffocating wavelengths.

"I'm very sorry for what you had to go through at such a young age, Sakura-chan. And to think you're chosen to carry an overwhelming burden after all of that on top of it all." Placing a hand on her tense and shaking shoulder, the compassionate man offered the broken Kunoichi a pained and sorrowful smile with a few tears streaking his cheeks.

"But you are not going to be alone, I will be here if you need anything, Sakura-chan. Thank you for sharing me this…now we know what the future lies ahead and how to prevent this from happening. And as for housing arrangements, do you have any requests? Anything I can do for you now?" The generous Sarutobi asked Sakura.

"Yes. I'd like to join Minato's Team. Also, I'd like to live with Kakashi." Said Kunoichi looked up with a slightly hardened but pained stare.

"Interesting, I can see that joining Team Minato is logical, but can you elaborate why live with Kakashi? I have an idea as to why, I just want to know your reasoning." The man responded, looking deep into the ever piercing viridian eyes.

"I know what it feels like…I watched Naruto undergo a similar situation, and having to live alone and fend for himself most of the time. And…I know the pain of watching your parents die right in front of you. In addition, the three year long war made me very alienated. Kakashi had neglected me in the beginning back then, but we formed a strong and undaunting bond, he was like a father figure to me, as I was his daughter-like figure. We looked out for each other. I want to return the favor and make sure he has a guardian to look after him, and the pain he's undergoing. He deserves to come home with already prepared home-cooked meals, and having someone waiting for you at home and worry about you. Someone to be there for you in need, to protect you…" Sakura unknowingly had a few tears seep out of her moist eyes, with a sad smile of her own. But that was the damned opposite of what she was really undergoing.

"Alright, Sakura-chan. I'll send in Team Minato. I'll allow them to be in on your true story, as well as Jiraiya and Tsunade. No one else, if anything, say you were on a long mission and had to move villages to be safe from enemies."

"Hai, Hokage-sama! And arigato, this means a lot to me." Sakura replied gratefully.

"Of course, Sakura-chan. It pains me what you had to undergo and to have another weight on your shoulders after all of that, if takes immense strength and then some, which you have, seeing that Tsunade did the right thing and you yourself being your own person with a unique personality, cherry blossom." At this he let out a half-hearted chuckle, the events he witnessed from Sakura's mind were rolling around in his tired, and now depressed mind.

Thew hokage then ordered his assistant to seek out Team Minato to summon here immediately. With a nod, the assistant vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving the man and flower alone again.

"How is Tsunade-Shishou doing, and Shizune?" questioned a hopeful flower.

"Tsunade is in charge of the hospital, though you didn't see her during yor stay due to a vacation she needed, probably off gambling again and getting drunk on Sake."

Sakura let out a knowing chuckle.

"Shishou can get pretty carried away, but she is a respectful woman, anyone could enjoy a vacation once in a blue moon. I just hope she doesn't come back completely broke from her bad luck of losing every single bet."

"Ha-ha, you're right about that, and as for Shizune, she's doing fine also, probably, with Tsunade. Poor girl." He smiled at the cherry bomb of Konoha, he could only imagine the heartache she's been through, as he underwent several dangerous and life-altering situations, though this woman's story really spiked him in the heart at what is needed to prevent the end of the Nations and Shinobi, and the freedom.

"So, this is the time you have originated from. Well, welcome home, the Spitfire Cherry Bomb of Konohagakure." He added with slight mirth.

"It's good to be back. Hokage-sama." She responded, all little cheerful, with the opportunity to make things right, and avoid the damned future as she had witnessed from happening. Ever. Then new arrivals made themselves know as the Hokage and flower turned towards the door that was being knocked on.

"Enter."

"Hey, old man! Wanted to…see us." Minato paused as he took in the sudden appearance of Sakura in the room.

"I'm not that old, Minato!"

The rest of his team filed in, all turning towards the pinkette with surprise and happiness, with sincere grins adorning their faces.

Sakura returned the gesture with her own genuine smile, she couldn't help it with these guys, she felt she could actually smile without it being forced or half-hearted.

The Hokage then gestured to Sakura and began explaining everything to the new occupants, the walls of the office still effectively sound-proofed.

"Yes. I have summoned you all here to here us both out and that whatever is said in this room, stays in this room. If otherwise, the village and this powerful and respected Kunoichi's safety is at great risk. Understood?" The man said sternly with serious expressions looking at each of the team members in the eye, waiting for their answer expectantly.

"Understood!" they all chorused, taking on serious expressions and stances as well.

"This Kunoichi is Haruno Sakura. She is an Anbu-medic and captain." Rin's eyes lit up even more at hearing that Sakura was also a medic, this going unnoticed by the man and flower.

"But, she is from the future." they watched as the teams' faces contorted in disbelief and looked at me up and down.

"She had underwent many heart-shattering experiences, being in a war for three years and watching her comrades die when she did everything in her power, and several other things that are uncomfortable to talk about with her here to listen. And she is originally from this timeline. The gods had chosen her to carry an even bigger burden, more so than anyone else. A Kunoichi's Burden. She is sent back to her original timeline with the horrific knowledge of what lies in the future and is given the task to change it for the better. She had also made strong ties with people in her false time, and was ripped apart from them, many from being killed in the war. She was trained by Tsunade, which explains her yin seal. She is her successor and disciple. She requests to join your team, as she had ties with you all in her time. Now I leave the rest to you Sakura-chan."

With her eyes opened with as much stoicism she could manage, she continued on the explanation.

"Kakashi. You were my sensei back then, I was your student after graduating at the academy. I will tell you more about it later, but I wanted to say that I fully know what you're going through right now. I've been in your shoes for a few years now." She smiled kindly at him, as his turned to surprise and pity.

"And I know that you visit the memorial stone every now and then, and that you live alone. I wanted to ask you, if you would accept living with me, as your guardian and second sensei." Taking in his pained and longing to have someone there for him clearly shown in his onyx eyes, Sakura continued.

"I want to be there for you and help you through your pain, going in war, I didn't have that, and in the future, you were never really happy, living on your own and then some. You had been there for me, we had a strong and unbreakable bond back then, would you like to live with me Kakashi, so I can return the favor and be there for you?"

In a loss for words, he merely nodded. Not trusting his voice. He had never anticipated that he would have someone willing enough to go through the trouble in taking care of him and being there for him when he needs it. He gazed at the beaming Kunoichi at his answer. He would live with someone who was so genuine and caring. He felt a tear escape as he sent her his signature eye crinkle and whispered,

"Thank you, Sakura-sensei." Though a mere whisper, it was still audible to everyone. Sakura ruffled his silver gravity-defying hair affectionately and gave a peck on his cheek.

"Your welcome, Kakashi-kun. Now, I would also be able to help you in your lightning affinity, as I have one, along with earth and water." He looked all the more grateful at having someone who could help him with his Jutsu and training.

"Rin, I could teach you medical-ninjutsu and combat. Obito, I would help you with combat and Genjutsu."

They were both overjoyed by the news.

"Yosh! I'll work hard Sakura-Shishou! And become stronger!" Exclaimed Rin.

"Thank you, Sakura-sensei, I'd love to become stronger! I have a rival to beat, ya' know, he-he! And I wont let you down, I'll work hard too, you'll see!" cheered Obito.

"Welcome to the team, Sakura-chan!" Minato said sending her a devilishly handsome smirk at her.

"Thank you, oh and I wanted to properly thank you all for helping me escape my death bed back there. Also for the flowers, they were beautiful." replied Sakura.

"Naw, it was nothing Sakura-sensei." Obito said sheepishly, scratching the back of his head, similar to her habit whenever she was nervous or embarrassed.

"Well, now that things are settled, Sakura, here are the keys to the apartment, and money for food and other necessities. And you start training tomorrow with Minato." Hokage said, tossing the keys and money in Sakura's hands.

"Thank you Hokage-sama."

"We meet at training ground 3 at 7 everyday, unless there's a mission or a holiday." Minato informed, taking his leave.

"Thanks Sakura-Shishou, I'll see you tomorrow." Rin said, following Minato out the door.

Obito was left with Sakura, Kakashi and the Hokage.

"Sakura-sensei?"

"Yeah, Obito?"

"Could I have a kiss please? You kissed Kakashi without giving me one…" Obito said, looking away with his arms crossed, representing a sulking child. The Hokage and Sakura laughing at his antics Sakura said,

"Of course, Obito! Who could resist your adorable charm? She exclaimed while giving a kiss on Obito's cheek.

"He-he, thanks, well ill see you tomorrow!" He said, bounding to his next destination.

"Well, what do you say Kakashi? Want me to help you pack your things and then I'll make dinner at the new apartment?"

"Yeah, and thanks again, for wanting to take me in I mean." replied Kakashi.

"He-he, It's my pleasure, after all I'm helping out my comrades!" Then they both took their leave, both in a more joyous attitude then previously.

The Hokage let out a content sigh, _'Things are already more interesting around here.'_ he mused, getting to the crud load of papers to go through.

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**A/N: **Hey again! SO, how did I do in this chapter? Weren't expecting those events at all, now were you? He-he, until next time! Peace!


	4. Haruno's History

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto**

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**A/N:** Here's chapter 4. Thank you all for reviewing and liking my fanfic :D

And I love listening to music while reading fanfic. It really gets you in the mood and I just love it! I recommend it, I love the songs, **Samidare, Yamagasumi, Obito's Death theme [Ultra Extended], Decision, Saika, Ochihabune, Guren, Tragic, Full moon, Man of the World, **and many others. I just listen to them on YouTube while reading. Or look up the videos where they have multiple Naruto songs. Just a thought, he-he.

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"Well, what do you say Kakashi? Want me to help you pack your things and then I'll make dinner at the new apartment?"

"Yeah, and thanks again, for wanting to take me in I mean." replied Kakashi.

"He-he, It's my pleasure, after all I'm helping out my comrades!" Then they both took their leave, both in a more joyous attitude then previously.

The Hokage let out a content sigh, _'Things are already more interesting around here.'_ he mused, getting to the crud load of papers to go through.

* * *

As Sakura and Kakashi took their leave, with the apartment keys and abundant bag-full of ryo in hand, they both took the route to Kakashi's one-bedroom apartment.

Kakashi was still in a state of shock. This woman claimed to be his student from the future and was sent here to fix things.

And when Minato and his team had found her battered and half-dead, with a Konoha headband and Anbu uniform, they were suspicious. Though they wouldn't have seen her face before, as she was an Anbu, no one, even Minato had remembered meeting a pinkette in Konoha before.

But they didn't dare leave her to die alone without a chance at recovery, even if they were cautious. Moreover since they were still in the middle of war. If she turned out to be an enemy then the Hokage, Council, and interrogators would deal with her.

Still, even reassuring themselves that, the team including Kakashi couldn't abandon the feeling of pity if she had to face death. Her gestures and gratitude seemed so sincere, and the fact that she had such determination to make it up to them seemed undaunting. Furthermore, they all had a mutual feeling that they'd known her from somewhere, which didn't make sense to any of them, as they knew of not ever meeting her in their lives.

Seeing Sakura in their Hokage's office with no signs of restraint and in full recovery with her uniform mended, brought them to assume all was well and she wasn't the enemy. They also trusted Hiruzen Sarutobi, as he was the speaker of truth and logic. He would know what to do, and it appeared that the Kunoichi had proved her innocence and loyalty. Though after hearing the ridiculous story of her time-traveling had thrown them off effectively.

But the elaboration they revealed, it made sense as to why Minato and his team never saw a pinkette strolling around Konoha's streets, as her cherry locks would be distinguishable and memorable to many. And maybe the reason they felt they'd known her from somewhere.

Now closing in on his desolate and lifeless apartment, Kakashi wondered what exactly the Kunoichi beside him went through. Seeing as her smiles were genuine, there was still pain etched at the corners, as for his full opinion of Sakura, she was understanding, beautiful, kind-hearted. But the rest he would have to figure out himself by observing his new housemate, guardian and second sensei. He also was aware he had to remain careful around her, as he learned the hard way that nothing was all it seemed, which applied to ninja all the same.

Her former teacher being the ever hot-tempered and destructive Slug Queen, Tsunade herself, with the matching yin seal on both their foreheads, was an indicator of their true strength that was only accomplished with three years of perfect chakra control in a definite location. An S-rank task. He wouldn't be surprised if Sakura inherited a nasty temper and brute strength from her Shishou as well.

Still walking side by side, getting closer to their first destination, Sakura abruptly stopped as she undoubtedly felt a new weight suddenly make itself known in her front pants pocket. Causing her shrunken sensei to stop a few feet away, regarding her curiously.

* * *

**At Hokage Tower**

Hiruzen, the third Hokage was behind in getting his papers and various scrolls signed and placed in their proper locations. Treaties to propose, bills to sing and pay, missions to assign, new battle tactics and positions to plan and form. And now to place a document of Sakura's rank, bingo book page, and other important things that came with the document Ayame-hime had provided in its new place inside his desk drawer.

Letting out an exhausted sigh, he felt that he would die with the nuisance that was known as arthritis, or even have his whole hand just detach from his arm completely. Not that it would be surprising, what with the mountain full of crap to go through daily, anyone would grow tired or run away from this hell at the first chance. But, what could you do? It was all part of the Hokage's duty along with the village's weight cradled in your arms, protecting it from the dangers of the ninja world.

Without looking up from his work, Hiruzen already knew who was sitting on the window of his office, also the man who returned through the door.

"Jiraiya. Minato." He said casually, putting down his pen to give his hands a break, looking up at his student, and then the future fifth Hokage and successor of himself.

"I heard what you explained to Minato about the pinkette." Jiraiya announced seriously, arms crossed as he remained seated at the window.

"I trust you old man, but can we really trust her? It could all still be a hoax. She could be attempting to subterfuge us. We are at war, she could've just disguised as a Konoha Kunoichi and messed with her own memories to let you see what she wanted you to believe." Minato declared. Eyes locked on the old man.

Taking his famous pipe out a inhaling a gallon full, then releasing it back out in a large cloud of smoke, Sarutobi elaborated to the blonde,

"If you really trusted me, then you wouldn't have questioned me about Sakura's loyalty. As I've told you, I have proved everything. She had nothing hidden, our Kunoichi provided me with crucial warnings and information that would eventually save Konohagakure and all the other surrounding nations, now that we know what lies ahead. She had experienced war, more so and more brutal and soul-wrenching, than what you or I have witnessed combined. She knows fully well what the world has to offer, at such a young age of 19.

And you shouldn't bluff, Minato. I know you had an immediate liking to Haruno Sakura." His expression turned to one of mirth upon looking at the Yellow Flash's slightly pink face, though the blonde still had a hard expression painted on, to keep from giving in to the statement so easily.

"Sakura…Haruno Sakura? Why does that ring a bell, sensei?" Jiraiya asked, contemplating where he last heard the cherry's last name from.

"Hn. Maybe because I caught you looking through some of the classified files when I was absent from my office, Jiraiya-baka." Hiruzen stated matter-of-factly.

Jiraiya then waved his hands nervously in front of him, attempting to appear guilty and keep punishment at bay.

"Sensei, it was for good cause! Where else could I get more information on Orochimaru other than your files and then some?"

Then the pervert took on a more serious approach, his features marred in firm lines and his posture more tense.

"But, what I read on the Haruno's, really caught my attention."

"What are you talking about? There's more on Sakura-san? Or her last name specifically?" Minato remarked, left more suspicious and enticed on the turn of the conversation.

Minato rested his gaze on the heavy-lidded, yet still calm Hokage, letting him elaborate everything that had perked the blondes interest. Jiraiya just listened in, though he already knew some of the information, he could know some other interesting details while he just sat on the windowsill.

"Yes. There were only very few other Haruno ever really known of. These people, originally resided in a spring field. Some have said it was because it was the meaning of their last name. Haruno means spring field. First thought as mere citizens, there homes had mysteriously been burned to ashes. Some other evidence showed that it was a planned event. Their appearance resembled in unique colors of lilac, pink, and even blue hair. Eye color varied from orange, green, and gray. Later, they stayed in Konoha, working in various businesses, until one day everything changed." Sarutobi let out a few more puffs of smoke before exhaling another sigh.

"And, what happened?" Minato pressed, wanting to satisfy his growing curiosity and know Sakura's clan history.

"There was an unpredicted rampage. All rogue ninja had turned on this village. Being unprepared and outnumbered due to many ninja on missions, plus the rogues ranks were of high standards. The civilians were to be sent to the safety of the Hokage monument, orders from Senju Tobirama, the second Hokage. Assuming that the Haruno's were civilians, people panicked as to why they hadn't seen them. The Haruno's were very social and popular. Known for their tempers and protective natures, they were also kind-hearted, selfless and loved by many. They cared for others as others cared for them. A mutual comradeship between the Haruno's and the villagers.

Turns out, the Haruno's really weren't civilians. They were powerful and fearsome Shinobi. They were masters of chakra control, so it was theorized that they somehow blocked their chakra completely, as to not draw attention to themselves. And looking through Sakura's memories, her parents had transferred all their chakra stores within their only daughter, just before they passed away in front of her. So, that had proved our suspicions.

Anyways, they had showed their powers to the world, the enemy not recognizing them without a last name given out. That made things more discrete and perhaps safer. Which is a medical mystery, as having no repetitive training and completely ignoring their chakra, most would expect them to be sluggish and utterly incapable of defending themselves. They also possessed a powerful Kekkai Genkai, that rivals the infamous Rinnegan and Sharingan."

Minato visibly paled at this, but didn't dare to interrupt. Jiraiya visibly lowered his head slightly downcast having his eyes already closed in thought and possessing the story in his head.

Letting out two more puffs, Sarutobi set down his pipe in its proper place so he could find it again with ease. He then proceeded to intertwine his fingers together with both elbows on his desk, allowing for his head to cradle into his hands, and proceeded to finish his story and hopefully get through the remaining few hours, before some needed sleep could be accomplished.

"Haruno's naturally have three nature affinities. It doesn't matter the combination or order, they all have three, there are no exceptions. Sakura has obtained lightning, water, as well as earth nature chakra."

"Wait! Why are you changing the subject, old man?! You were just talking about the Haruno's powerful Kekkai Genkai!" The Yellow Flash demanded.

"Please try not to elevate your voice, Minato-kun. And its because we don't know very much of their Kekkai Genkai, let alone Sakura's. All we know from Tobirama is that they rivaled the other two I mentioned just a minute ago.

And Sakura's is an even more special case. Given that she had used chakra since her academy days, may indicate a more powerful Haruno, plus when her parents had given their chakra over to the pinkette, they had activated her Kekkai Genkai, without her even knowing about it. On any other Haruno, they were reported to have one Sakura blossom on their foreheads, with very fine veins seeping onto the sides of their brows.

She, has the yin seal, being the former apprentice of Tsunade, and is flanked with two Sakura blossoms with veins. I'm certain Sakura is more powerful than any other known Haruno. We have to observe, record details. Oh, and in her time, before she departed from her past timeline, Kakashi and Obito had donated their chakras to her forehead as well. So, this will all unfold soon hopefully. Without any outsiders in on this. Especially of her existence and past migration.

Minato, I want you to look after her, not _for _her. She is a capable, strong, determined and very much stubborn Kunoichi, she can take care of herself. But, as she has gone through so much and has the weight of a huge burden on her shoulders, she may need some help and a helping hand sometimes. I will be there for her, but given my profession, it won't be always. She needs support, whether she'll admit it or attempt to leave it inside her torn heart."

"Hm. I agree, and this would help you cope with your current breakup with Kushina, Minato." Stated Jiraiya.

"Plus, I wonder how Tsunade will take it when she hears she has an apprentice from the future, and one who surpassed her too. And, she already gotten to your other teammates, Kakashi especially." Jiraiya continued.

Minato had been in, what seemed to be a long and promising relationship, but Kushina had pushed him away. He had had a huge crush on the Red Hot Habanera since their days at the academy. It was as if his dream was accomplished once he had her in his arms. But all that had torn them apart, he coped with the breakup, but it still tugged at his heart sometimes. They had misunderstood each other, though they never really had the chance to talk about it and mend it, they just closed off on one another.

"Yeah, she really got to Kakashi, and did something I wasn't able to provide to my own student. Love and a home." Minato finally responded.

"It's good, she herself is very selfless. Remembering from her memories, she and her sensei, being Kakashi, had really grown an unbreakable bond. She felt the need to return it, and knows his situation and needs very well. He may be uptight and unpleasant at times, but he's the same as anyone else who lost both their parents. No matter how much he denies it, he has craved for love and someone who would care for him as a guardian for a long time. He tried showing others otherwise by pushing them away.

And he trusts me as the Hokage, so it wasn't a surprise that he didn't really become suspicious of Sakura, but rather embraced her and her offer. Now he has someone who really cares about him and can provide the proper guidance, love and training to become stronger and then some."

"Then it's an honor to have her on my team, old man, and I wont abandon my comrades, shes no exception. She will be treated as one of us and a valuable and precious member of Team Minato." Minato announced, smiling wide and had his eyes closed. He then made his leave for his apartment, as it was already dark outside, and gave his sensei and Hokage a mock salute, before leaving and closing the door behind him.

"So, the Child of Prophecy, is Haruno Sakura, Cherry Bomb of Konohagakure." The perverted sannin proclaimed as an obvious fact, rather than having to ask himself about others, he was now certain who the Destined Child of Prophecy was.

Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded in agreement, returning to the stacks of papers that would eventually multiply if he put them off continuously.

* * *

**With Sakura and Kakashi**

Sakura, was almost done with dinner. She had substituted her uniform and dressed in civilian clothes with an apron over them. Kakashi and herself had already packed and unpacked his things into their new house, and the shopping had been taken care of as well, her new clothes, necessities, and then some were in her room, along with plentiful amount of food stocked up in their fridge and cupboards.

Kakashi was outside practicing his stamina and hitting targets while in motion, before he was going to have his first ever home-made dinner prepared by someone who cared about him, in what had been several years of living alone and being self-dependant on everything.

Sakura let a troubled sigh. She was trying to concentrate on the food, she had a talent for cooking, but what's currently running through her mind is leaving her somewhat sidetracked, irritatingly so.

What Kakashi had said back when they were near his apartment had opened her emotions to where she almost lost it then and there.

* * *

_Flashback:_

_A new weight made itself known in Sakura's front pants pocket of her Anbu uniform, making her stop, Kakashi a few feet away, regarding her curiously._

_Reaching in her pocket, she let out a chocked sob. What she had in her hands wasn't in there before, probably something Ayame-hime had retrieved for her. It was her old team photo, of herself, Kakashi, Sasuke and Naruto. Also, her necklace of a cherry blossom that her parents had given her as a sign of their love. And a friendship bracelet her and Ino both possessed. Ino-pig gave her one to represent their long-lasting best friend-rival relationship that they'd never ruin again for anything. Ever. _

_Staring at her team photo with longing in her emerald orbs, Kakashi sauntered on over to peek at the photo and had a look of surprise written on his features, catching on to who was in it and what it was. _

_Then peering at his new sensei and friend, he captured his attention by saying a new sentence that squeezed Sakura's heart to messy and bloody pulp in her chest cavity._

"_You're really broken, aren't you, Sakura-chan?"_

_She looked at his place with hazy eyes, and in his place appeared a beaming girl, who was the same age as him for a second, catching her off guard as her face contorted and she was about to break out in the middle of the street, in front of Kakashi. But with a little stress release, which happened to be her team photo, she ended up cracking the glass before regaining herself and hoping to reassure her sensei she was alright with a pained smile._

_But, knowing him, he would see right through it. They both then carried on to his apartment and began packing. The task didn't take long, as he lived alone and didn't need much._

* * *

'_Marika-chan'_

Sakura forced the thoughts to the back of her subconscious for nighttime, as she'd expect the nightmares to keep her up with the growing thought that she may have insomnia eventually. No amount of soothing chakra could keep them at bay, so she coped with it as discrete as possible.

Their new house was simple but not boring. Nice red carpet with cream-colored walls. Three bedrooms, for just in case, a spacious kitchen and dining room, along with a family area and an even better backyard. Kakashi and herself could train properly without disturbing anyone or endangering lives within a mile radius. They still lived in Konoha and close to everything, the Hokage tower, the training grounds and the hospital too. It was just essential; to have a nice spacious backyard in the bundle. Overall it was a welcoming place.

Then, with the table set with miso soup, curry rice, sushi, udon, yakitori, with tea and dango for dessert, she called in her sensei.

Arriving in the dining room, Kakashi froze and took in the elegantly set table and Sakura smiling at him tenderly.

He then returned her gesture with his trademark eye crinkle with a tear seeped through hisclosed lid and said,

"Thank you, Sakura-sensei."

"he-he, just Sakura or Sakura-chan is fine in the house, Kakashi."

They both took their seats across from each other and exclaimed,

"Itadakimasu!" and dug in.

Apparently Sakura still had her talent intact as Kakashi and herself let out content sighs as they continued enjoying their dinner together.

* * *

A/N: Thank you so much everyone for loving my story, and I get that not everyone will like it and I'm okay with that. And some people have misunderstood as to why I had Kakashi like that, well I hope that my reasoning that's mentioned in the last two chapters have explained my perspective somewhat. Plus you all have to keep in mind that it's still my story, but thanks for the support everyone! Until next time!

-Bella :D


	5. Of Puzzles and Berceuses

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto**

* * *

**A/N:** Hey everyone! I hope you all enjoyed Christmas with family and loved ones! I know I did J So, since I had time, I couldn't wait to continue writing a new chapter, and I wouldn't dare disappoint my fans! Here's chapter 5, just for you all to enjoy. I had a lot more planned for this particular one, so it turned out longer than the previous ones. Be sure to read and review please, it means the world to me, as I read through all the ones you guys send me.

* * *

Then, with the table set with miso soup, curry rice, sushi, udon, yakitori, with tea and dango for dessert, she called in her sensei.

Arriving in the dining room, Kakashi froze and took in the elegantly set table and Sakura smiling at him tenderly.

He then returned her gesture with his trademark eye crinkle with a tear seeped through his closed lid and said,

"Thank you, Sakura-sensei."

"he-he, just Sakura or Sakura-chan is fine in the house, Kakashi."

They both took their seats across from each other and exclaimed,

"Itadakimasu!" and dug in.

Apparently Sakura still had her talent intact as Kakashi and herself let out content sighs as they continued enjoying their dinner together.

* * *

Sakura lay in her new mattress in a daze, a faraway stare directed at the ceiling, but was really looking at a beaming girl in front of her. The new bed took a bit of getting used to, as she had used the ground of tents for a resting area, usually it was uncomfortable. But being an elite Kunoichi, you have to be one who endures, and that means caring less about sleep accommodations. Ninja had to be used to sleeping on the ground or a lumpy futon, as they didn't need or worry about useless luxuries of such.

Though it was still nice once a while, and healthy for the spine as well, especially if you didn't sleep in a normal mattress for three years. A nice alternative for the troubled flower.

Arms were behind her wet locks, as she took a shower, also a rare luxury in war, usually the ninja used the nearby water sources. Even those over time had turned to a crimson, not making things any simpler as it was a reminder of where they all were at and accomplishing.

Sakura let her mind reminisce a memory that Kakashi-kun unknowingly brought in her head, behind her brow.

* * *

_Flashback:_

_Sakura made her way through the dense forest, fleeing from an oncoming squad of resurrected ninja. She had to lure them to a different location, and they fell for her trap, which turned out pathetically facile. Suspiciously keeping an earshot for any promoting ambushes, she heard a set of hurried and panicked gasps and small feet, desperately trying to escape the route._

_Then, seeing a head full of curly-blonde hair belonging to a mere girl, she immediately swooped down and embraced the desperate yet determined ingénue, who would've been skewered by several poisoned kunai a second prior. _

_Arriving at the rendezvous spot, the blossom rushed passed her other Third Division teammates, as they took the other ninja by surprise and finished them off, allowing for Sakura to carry the girl and herself to a safer area, within the protection of other fellow comrades, as she planned to question the tense girl in her arms about her presence and then some._

_Sakura had to give the blonde some credit. Expecting a trembling and sobbing, what looks like a ten or eleven-year old. Yet she still had some maturity and a glow in her deep blue eyes, and held a strong posture, despite being caught in the middle of a battlefield, with no hope of escaping to civilization anytime soon._

_Now inside a spacious tent, used for her patients and herself, she turned towards the girl in her arms and set her down on a thin blanket with a matching pillow. _

_She looked at the girl with pity and worry. Sakura had a strong protective nature after all, she knew that the girl needed some guidance and some shielding. The little blonde wouldn't last long, or more likely been dead already if the Cherry Bomb hadn't snatched her back there during the pursuit._

"_What's your name?" Asked the girl, having directed her large royal blue doe eyes upon the pinkette's own emerald doe orbs._

"_It's polite to state your name first before asking the name of another." Sakura said, a small smile pasted on her tired face, eyes closed. _

"_S-sorry miss, I'm Adachi Marika. May I ask for the name of my savior?"_

'_Such manners and choice of sentence structure, this girl gives me the impression that she's more mature for her actual age.'_

"_Aete ureshii yo Marika-chan! I'm Haruno Sakura. But no need for such names please, I merely wanted to help you escape your death bed. Speaking of which, how did you end up here?! You're caught in the midst of an ongoing and gruesome war, there's no room for children here, who was the irresponsible individual who brought you here?! _

_You shouldn't have to endure and witness such things at your age, this will all force you to grow up too rapidly, as I can't return you to a nearby city or village. Nor can I just leave you in a tent through the rest of the war, which we have no idea when it all will com to an end." Sakura demanded in what she hoped was a more calm way of urging for a direct answer, her vexation and building anger barely contained within her. _

'_Who would be so cruel and selfish to leave a girl out of their eyesight, making her caught in all of this shit?!' _

_The girl looked downcast before replying to the pinkette, sensing her aversion she was giving off and becoming an aura. _

"_I was looking for my brother. I heard he's in the war, hoping he turned a new leaf and was aiding the allied Nations, and if that wasn't the case, then I wanted to step in and attempt for him to see through the fog."_

_Sakura stared long at the blonde as she picked up her royal blue eyes again to return the stare. _

"_You're saying that you came here on your own accord?"_

"_Yes…"_

"…_You could've gotten killed already, why would you go through such a suicidal pursuit, knowing your fate here? We Shinobi, myself included, do those things constantly, yet you're a mere child. I can sense you have awakened your chakra, but even so, you are no match for the likes of a rampaging war, Marika-chan."_

"_I know…but I couldn't bear having my brother leave the earth without me at least saying goodbye. You must be familiar to the Akatsuki, am I right?"_

_Sakura nodded firmly._

"…_My brother…was Deidara of the Akatsuki." Marika said in a whisper, showing the pain it gave her to have her older brother turn towards the pits of darkness. _

_Sakura kept a near stoic expression, she figured since she saw the resemblance in the two. Marika's hair was almost the same hairstyle as Deidara's, except she didn't cover her eye with bangs, had half her hair in a ponytail and wavy curls on the ends of the strands, with a pretty face and complimenting shade of blue for eyes. _

_Then, images of the abandoned Akatsuki cave came in the flower's mind and saw Gaara's limp and dead body on the floor in a heap, with the blonde bomber sitting on his torso and Sasori in his puppet shield flanking him. _

_Sakura then displayed a hardened glare and had her teeth bared and fists prepared, she and Gaara had become friends, close comrades, and reflexively, the cherry bomb would go through hell and back to make sure she didn't see anyone of her friends killed. _

'_Empty words. I couldn't save them all, even though I'm the successor of Tsunade-Shishou, I still failed, more than I did in my Genin days. The war let me compose my mistakes more.' _

_Thought Sakura bitterly, the pain in her eyes and moisture building up, threatening to cascade down her firm and defined heart-shaped face. _

_The blonde had laid down on the spider-silk thin blanket, allowing for Sakura to heal some minor bruises and scrapes, still listening to the girl talk. _

"_I'm fully aware of his actions. But, he never intended to join their ranks in the first place. They practically abducted him and forced him to become a sadist and bloodthirsty criminal under their strings."_

'_I guess I can be remorseful.' Contemplated a saddened flower. _

'_Not all of the Akatsuki were monsters after all. Itachi, Sasori, Nagato, and now Deidara, are proven to carry a bit of a heart within them. Their pasts have been heart-breaking, life-altering. If I could do something to help preserve their humanity and happiness, I'd kill that teme Danzo! He was the fucking shit head that ruined more than half of everyone's future's! He did this to everyone, the damn ass wanted to become Hokage, so he did those things discretely, so no one would oppose of his proposed position. _

_He planned for Shishou to go in a coma so he could take her place and hope that Kami would let her die. He did all this shit! If it weren't for him, hell, even Obito would've been happy. It's not his fault things turned for the worse. He was a kind-hearted, determined and wise teammate of Kakashi-sensei. Rin wouldn't have had to save the village with the expense of her life. Naruto's parents wouldn't have had to die during the Kyuubi invasion. _

_Nagato, Yahiko and Konan would've had a happy life and had found world peace, going by their original plans if it weren't, for, Danzo!' _

_She felt the texture and taste of pure rage forming in her mouth and heating toned abdomen. _

_Then she was brought from her musings as she had her hands healing Marika more than needed and the girl asked her a rhetorical question._

"_You're really broken, aren't you, Sakura-chan?" the evident understanding and recognition of pain and loss reflected on each other's shadowed pupils._

* * *

'_Those words are what Kakashi-kun told me the other day while looking longingly at my old Team photo.' Sakura started to introspect._

She was in her subconscious having fallen asleep during her mind spasm, as that was what spacing out was. Laying in a healthy patch of abundant green grass, and envisioned a sunny atmosphere, letting it take place of tedious white far-reaching walls. It was kind of nice, better. Compared to her vivid nightmares. Though when she remembered past events, whether it being a conversation or a fight, it was all the same. Memories of her once-lived false timeline. The guilt that her invading her actual timeline would sever the chance of her friends to ever exist in this world.

She couldn't think of it, couldn't imagine a world without her favorite blonde knuckle-head baka. She was aware that she'd be able to see Tsunade-Shishou, Shizune, Jiraiya, face the Akatsuki again and then some. But couldn't grasp the idea of losing her close friends and comrades forever, even if she wouldn't have the same relationships she had with them prior, at least she desired them to exist and find happiness.

In her subconscious, Sakura was more bold about letting her uncontainable tears to slip out of her reddening eyelids, so she let them. The lump returning. In her subconscious, she still held the unbearable pain and felt it full force as if she were in there physically instead of spiritually.

"You're friends will find a way into this world, don't fret over it Sakura-chan." Sakura regarded Ayame-hime with a turn of her head in the Hime's direction, staring at her, looking for a lie without success.

"You really think so, Hime?" The trembling flower asked desperately, gripping the grass for leverage on holding her sanity intact.

"I know so." Ayame, her Guardian Hime stated in a tone of assurance, which brought slight relief to Sakura, her darkened irises to turn a few shades lighter, almost to their original glow. Though it would never return to the same shade as in her academy days, Sakura lost her innocence on the subject of life. On the contrary, she has a more intense and unwavering fire in her sharper eyes, adorned with luscious long eyelashes.

'Of course they'll be alright, I'll make sure of it, dattebayo! And Naruto will have his parents alongside him, to watch him progress in his years. Kushina and Minato would be able to watch their son become the legacy and kind soul she grew to admire and look to as a brother. He would be the hero they desired on their dying minute, they wished the best for their baka, her baka. She'll run to hell herself and stay there if Naruto wasn't born in this world.

With new fire in her eyes, she looked on as Ayame-hime stepped aside to reveal a small patch of elegant white flowers growing from a blood-stained floor. Turning her gaze back to Ayame-hime in confusion and contemplation, Ayame just smiled.

"Does this remind you of something, Sakura-chan?" Reverting her stare back to the blood-painted blotch, she then had a look of realization.

Displaying her memory as a large viewing screen for herself and Ayame-hime, they both sat up on the green grass and looked at the unfolding scenes and words spoken out.

* * *

**In Sakura's memory**

In the safety of her normal-sized bedroom, an eight-year-old Haruno Sakura sat on her bed and looked at her mother.

The soft pitter-patter of the evening rain resounding on the roof outside and was seen as little diamonds through her closed window.

"Okaa-san, can you please sing me the lullaby grandma taught you? It's my favorite, and I want to memorize and remember it forever and sing to my little girl at night, for her to pass on. Please?" pleaded the girl, sending her mother a smile that warmed Mebuki's heart.

"Of course, Sakura-chan." Then Mebuki started to sing, while Sakura laid on her pillow with her favorite stuffed bear squeezed in a hug, she hummed the familiar tune and memorized the song, lyrics and flow of the words to remember years to come.

"A frail little seed,

Carried by the gentle wind,

Settling on a velvet blanket,

Sprouting a legacy,

Revealing itself to the world,

A naïve blossom,

A flicker of light,

Encouraged to grow,

Nurtured and nourished by nature's mother,

Yet forced to endear the surrounding red hues,

The growing flower will form a protective barrier,

And the blossom will bloom into a beautiful, strong flower."

"Sakura." Her mother asked tenderly.

"Yes, Okaa-san?" Sakura peered up, giving her undivided attention, sensing the more serious atmosphere and knew it was something to important and remember.

"You are still so naïve, a little ingénue, my little blossom. Later you'll understand the cruel and ruthless reality this life has to offer. It's worse then being singled out and picked on about a certain feature or aspect."

The eight-year-old looked at her mother in bewilderment,

How could anything or anyone be more utterly despicable or heinous than the arrogant or sadistic bullies that repeatedly trivialize and belittle the girl because of her exotic cherry locks and larger than normal forehead?

How could anything or anyone be possibly more ignominious and detestable than Kami himself, for making a gentle and insecure child walk on the planet, bearing such disgraceful features and being resented by many other sadists, her fellow academy classmates and other civilian children, just to make her life all the more damnable?

How could anything or anyone be more life-threatening than being nicked be cardboard shuriken, used for playing ninja, or leaving on missions as fellow Shinobi or Kunoichi, and maybe encountering some opposing enemies along the way?

Haruno Sakura brushed some of her bangs shadowing her brow to the side, deep in thought of what her Okaa-san had told her.

She was known for her exceeding levels of brains and intelligence, having near top marks at her academy, yet she was just as her Okaa-san described, naïve, artless, and a little bud that needed to grow up eventually. Sakura did not know the meaning of a true ninja, Shinobi and Kunoichi alike, as of present. Sakura did not know, experience, witness, or deal with the likes of hardships, difficult situations or decisions. Nor had she ever even defined the meaning of war.

Sakura had not developed her phrase that would be known as her ninja way, her ninja way would soon be shaped and help define who she would become in the near future. People often procrastinate and put things off for a later date, but time never did. It waited for no one. She would be her former night terrors' worst tormentor and murderer.

Haruno Sakura would grow up, protecting her precious people and her village, always putting others before herself, becoming the heroine that the world desired and desperately hoped to have the chance to honor her themselves one day.

'_She would grow up eventually. Not just physically, mentally too. She just needs some motivation that I can't provide. She has to find the determination and unwavering will to not ever give up, or give into anything that dares try to put her down. She has to find this all on her own if she is to grow stronger.' _

Her mother thought as she gazed upon her daughter's troubled and rationalizing facial appearance.

"But you will also grow beautifully and become a deadly cherry blossom. You'll form your own thorns as the protective barrier for any intruders or enemies. You'll know all my words and it'll all be cogent when the time is right. Your Otou-san and I love you very much and we wish the best fro you, my little spitfire." Sakura could still be a mad kitten when she wanted to be.

"We'll do everything in our power to make sure you have a chance in this world and bring the desired peace upon many deserving civilians and ninja. Everyone will respect you and remember your name, your cherry locks, your emerald eyes, your brow. It'll occur one day, Sakura-chan. People won't resent you forever. Those who do that to you, are jealous and I think lowly of each of those kids.

But you have to find trust, make friends with those who open up to you and come to your aid. As you would do the same for them, I'm certain. You'll know what a comrade is, everything will come in time, everything will come at its pace. And you'll be the flowers that grow on the velvet blanket." Mebuki finished, looking at her drowsy but still attentive daughter and kissed her forehead tenderly before switching off the light and leaving the room.

Sakura stared at the closed door, still contemplating and processing her mother's words for future reference, and dismissed her previous thoughts about life's challenges. If she will understand and experience those things in upcoming years as she will age, then she'd listen to Okaa-san and wait for later on.

The puzzle pieces would be put in their proper places, the blossom was an expert at solving puzzles. Given her stubborn nature, she'd spend countless hours solving puzzles that consisted of hundreds of individual and oddly shaped pieces. Solving puzzles was one of her hobbies, and she became skilled at solving them, whether in a game form, or in other situations that required logical reasoning and multi-step processing.

Sakura pulled her bangs over her warm brow and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

**End Memory**

The screen faded out into the sunny atmosphere Sakura had envisioned earlier before seeing Hime again.

"To not be a burden…to shoulder my comrades when they collapse. I will protect my precious people, and never give up! That's my ninja way!" SAkura announced with the resurfaced emerald flames evident in her eyes as she regarded Ayame beside her on the ground.

She nodded and then pointed towards the blood-stained ground with the beautiful flowers once again.

"You'll be the flowers that sprout and grow in the blood. You'll be the heroine of your timeline Sakura-chan."

Said pinkette was taken aback at this.

"The heroine? No! That noble title belongs to Uzumaki Naruto! Not me! Hime I-I can't, no. He's the hero, not me!" Sakura countered, drabble flowing out her jaw.

Hime placed a hand on her head and smiled gently.

"Not in this timeline. Besides, Naruto isn't even born yet, how would he be able to counter to enemy when he himself is still in a floating world, barely forming a soul to help him develop? Ha-ha don't worry Sakura-chan, everything will be fine. It's time to wake up, you wanted to get some things to help your team today, before leaving to the training grounds with Kakashi. Bye Sakura-chan." Hime said, waving and fading yet again, and leaving Sakura to herself, again.

At that, the flower woke up and prepared to leave for the convenient store and then ask Hokage-sama some things. After making breakfast for Kakashi and leaving him a note of her whereabouts and where to find breakfast, she took off on the rooftops.

After buying the proper things needed and getting the information needed from Hiruzen, she made it back to her home, finding Kakashi-kun in his ninja garbs, washing his breakfast dishes.

A smile made way to her face, she was home. And she was able to help a close and precious comrade show emotions and have a place to call home as well.

"Thank you Kakashi-kun for washing those, I just had to leave early to get some things." She said as she embraced him in a brief, but uplifting hug none the less, and made sure to chastely kiss his cheek, just to see him slightly blush. Letting out a little chuckle, she took in his red ears and slightly rosy cheeks, though mostly concealed in his mask.

"Yeah sure, Sakura-chan. Let's go, I don't want to be late." Sakura was surprised by his punctuality, a contrast to how it was in her other timeline.

'_Interesting.' _She'd have to see what the source was for his constant tardiness later in his years.

Arriving at the training grounds, with one person missing, a certain Uchiha, she was greeted by a ecstatic Rin and a welcoming Minato.

"Ohayo, Sakura-Shishou!" Sakura decided she liked the new formality from her newly acquainted apprentice and returned her own bright smile towards the beaming girl.

"Ohayo, Rin-chan. Ohayo Minato-san." She said, regarding the devilishly handsome blonde.

'_Damn hormones! This is Naruto's dad! Although…I guess it can't hurt to compliment the man inwardly right? Just noticing his good looks.' _She convinced herself as she took in his features and stature.

"Ohayo, Sakura-san."

She was too engrossed in taking in Minato's form to notice he was doing the same, still having thoughts of how she was beautiful. But when they both looked at each other in the eyes, they noticed the faint blush coloring their cheeks and both grinned timidly.

Winsome emerald met with captivating electric blue. Both equally focused in each others' soul-searching depths. Both equally piercing and eye-catching.

The two were then forced out of their stare as they heard charging footsteps coming towards them.

* * *

**A/N: **HA-HA, cliffhanger, but I think you all know who that is. I made sure to add some KakaSaku family love and some MinaSaku fluff. I want to make sure to make to take things a few steps at a time. I have no desire in making them fall for each other after a week, that's repulsive! And it wouldn't even be a worthy story in my eyes, ads I see in other stories. Anyways…He-he, so how did I do guys? Did you enjoy this chapter? If so, make sure to favorite, follow, review, or all! It's greatly appreciated, thanks a bunch everyone! Love you all, and think of this as a late Christmas present to you all. He-he, peace.

P.S. Hey guys! The song Mebuki sang to Sakura, I made that one up all by myself. It's an original, so let me know if it was too cheesy or if yo liked it! Thanks again! :D


	6. Training, and a blonde baka

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto**

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**A/N:** Here's chapter 6 everyone. Enjoy! And I wish you all a **Happy New Year's! Shannaro! 2014 is here! **He-he, sorry it's a bit late to say that, but whatever. Now on with the story people!

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Winsome emerald met with captivating electric blue. Both equally focused in each others' soul-searching depths. Both equally piercing and eye-catching.

The two were then forced out of their stare as they heard charging footsteps coming towards them.

* * *

"Ohayo, Minato-sensei, Sakura-sensei. Sorry I'm late, I ran into a black cat on the way and had to change course. Heh-heh." Obito said sheepishly while scratching the back of his head, just as Sakura does as one of her habits.

'_So, sensei had gotten his bad habit from Obito. Seems reasonable, as Kakashi-sensei practically lost his whole team in my timeline. He was living for all of them…'_

"Yeah, right. You probably slept in, baka." Kakashi accused.

"No I didn't you teme!" Countered a ticked off Obito.

"Guys, stop it already! We are a team 'ya know." Rin scolded, restraining the boys from continuing their pissing contest.

'_Rin-chan reminds me of myself, I see so much of me in the girl. And the boys remind me of Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun.' _thought Sakura, looking at the scene in front of her and the boys eventually calmed down.

"Alright team, I want you to do two laps around the village, and I don't want to see any of you walking and to finish no later than 45 minutes to cover the area, then meet back here."

"Yosh!" They said without complaint and took off at about 20 miles per hour around the village walls with their torso hunched over and arms behind them.

Sakura reverted her eyes towards Minato again.

"I take it they have good endurance and stamina?" She questioned the Yellow Flash.

"Yeah, and I made sure to teach them chakra control with climbing trees. Rin got it on the first try, seeing as she has a good storage of chakra and bears precise control of it. Kakashi has more control over it than Obito, though Obito has the most supply of chakra."

"I see, but they still need to improve on their teamwork."

"Yeah, but they'll get it soon."

"Hn." Sakura nodded in agreement.

"I know they will, my team started out like them as well…it's nice to meet Konoha's Yellow Flash." Sakura exclaimed and outstretched her hand.

Taking it in his own, they both vaguely paid heed to the sudden electricity that seemed to run through the both of them through the small contact and shook hands as a greeting.

"And it's nice to meet the Cherry Bomb of Konoha."

Letting go of hands, Sakura then informed Minato,

"Hokage-sama wanted to see you once we formally introduced ourselves, it seemed like he needs you on a two-day mission. I'd like to teach our team some new things, if it's alright with you Minato-san."

"Of course, you are a part of this team now and you don't need permission to teach them new material, I'm perfectly fine with it. And I guess I better take my leave then, see you later, Sakura-san."

"Have a safe journey." And with that, Minato left for Hokage-tower and Sakura prepared the next parts of training while waiting for her new team to finish their warm-up.

* * *

**38 Minutes Later**

Three twelve year-old kids bounded in the area where Sakura was standing in the middle of the training grounds, free of trees, with a nearby river, and the sun radiating warmth with a bit of clouds scattered throughout the surrounding blue troposphere.

Konoha was known for its balmy climate, never having snow, just rain on occasion, and mostly sunny, cheerful weather.

The kids were hunched over, regaining breath, though they weren't winded, they had more challenging exercises and refused to get tired over a few long laps of continuous running, they trained better than that. They could endure.

"Good. Now, Minato-san had been summoned for a mission that will take a couple of days, so I'll be teaching you some new material and then some. I heard you all learned the basics of chakra control with tree-climbing, is that right?"

"Yeah, Minato-sensei taught us that not long ago." Obito confirmed.

"And you're all fresh Chunin, correct?"

Receiving nods from them, Sakura then proceeded to walk out into the tepid river. Reaching a few yards out, she turned back around to see some looks of awe and admiration, except from Kakashi-kun, he seemed familiar with this type of training or he was still a stoic Gaki (brat) at times.

"This new exercise will better your chakra control skills. A tree is stable and is stationary, you all have mastered that much. But now it's time to test your abilities of maintaining a constant change of chakra flow on water, as it is always moving and is much more challenging to walk on water. But don't worry, you'll all learn in a day or maybe sooner, depends on your determination. You have to change your chakra amount constantly so you can balance on the water.

Over time this will become easy and you eventually won't even have to think about it when you go out in the water. With that said, all of you try it and keep calm, this won't come out so fast, just like the tree climbing. Begin." Sakura ordered and watched from her standing point, as the three focused chakra to their feet and attempted to take their first cautious steps in the flowing water.

They all fell in, just as expected, but to Sakura's stupefaction, on the third try, Rin had maintained a perfect fluctuating flow of chakra and walked out into the water and reached Sakura's side, an euphoric smile adorning her beautiful face.

'_With her precise control, I wouldn't doubt she could eventually walk on vapor! Oh yes, this girl will surpass me one day, I'll make sure of it!' _

Sakura thought rapturously as she gazed at Rin's warm pupils, patting her brown hair.

"Excellent, Rin-chan! Now I'll teach you more medical ninjutsu, and combat. But it will be onerous and arduous, that I can guarantee."

"Hai, Shishou, I won't ever back down and I will make you proud!" Proclaimed Rin pumping a fist in the air.

"Way to go Rin-chan!" Exclaimed Obito, while Kakashi looked somewhat impressed as he continued to try walking on the liquid.

"Thanks Obito-kun! I know you and Kakashi-kun can do it too!"

"Hell yes!" Exclaimed Obito as he walked out a few feet before losing balance and falling in.

"Well, Rin-chan and I will be practicing some taijutsu, so you two continue with this training. Later, we'll all take a break and I'll take you all out for lunch. My treat." Sakura announced, receiving delighted cheers and felt the increased spunk from all three pre-teens.

Sakura and Rin then briskly walked to the other side of the open field.

"Do you have any Taijutsu skills or experience?"

"Somewhat…I was mostly working hard on my medical ninjutsu, even though I didn't have any helpful or willing teachers to train me until now, so I thank you again, Sakura-Shishou."

"My pleasure, Rin-chan! I wouldn't have it any other way, sweetie. I will stay with you and make sure to you train really hard and for you to really be determined and dedicated in your work in return."

"Yosh. I don't want to be a burden anymore, Sakura-Shishou. I'll give it all I've got!"

"Good. Now, what's the most important thing for a medic when fighting?"

Rin thought hard on what to answer, as she didn't want to disappoint her teacher on the first day.

"Uh, you, you…have to be good at avoiding the hits?"

"Correct. And why is that?"

"Because, no one else to heal your comrades if the medic-ninja is dead, right Shishou?"

"Yes. Taking out a squad's medical ninja first is standard practice, as it would jeopardize the others further and for them to be more vulnerable to injury. So, it is important to always have some form or chance of the opposing enemy to underestimate you. That would be their usual and worst mistake, as medical ninja are often stereotyped and biased by others, saying they are weak and easy to kill.

But it's different for Tsunade-Shishou, myself, and soon, for you too. On that note…" Sakura took out several kunai and senbon and twirled some in her fingers as if they were toys, and balanced the rest on her elbows, in her mouth, as well as on her knee cap, and feet, resulting in the pinkette being on one foot in a professional and impressive stance. This had Rin and the soaked to the skin boys look Sakura's way and showed evident shock and respect on their faces at the sight of their pink-haired sensei.

They had guessed that she was a strong and capable Kunoichi, but with the mastered stealth and balance of razor-sharp weapons perfectly placed on her body, just this one move had them reassured that they were in good hands, as well as Sakura obviously having much experience and then some. They were even more intrigued in what else Sakura was capable of, she was still mostly a mystery to them after all.

Rin and the others shook out from their trance as they paid more attention to what Sakura had to say. Obito and Kakashi stayed afloat of the river with their feet as they listened to their sensei.

"I want you to dodge these kunai and senbon that I'll randomly throw your way. This will advance your dodging skills, heighten your comprehension and processing levels as well as accelerate your reaction time. You'll need to learn how to analyze your enemy while never lowering your guard and be dodging their offensive moves. I'll practice this with you both, Obito and Kakashi as well, and I'm glad you're all intrigued and interested in this, as it'll come in handy. Good work on staying above the water as well you guys."

"Arigato, Sakura-sensei!" Obito exclaimed boisterously with the wave of his hand and his signature grin in place.

Sakura continued her lecture while still keeping every weapon on her perfectly balanced.

"You all will need to practice hiding your chakra effectively and using it to discretely sense other enemies' presence when you can't easily hear or see them, after you two are done practicing the water walking exercise that is. Now, Chunin, and especially Jonin are trained to analyze and memorize their enemies' attack patterns. The enemy will be watching your moves as well, trying to break through your defense.

Watch the enemy's movements closely! Before their attack, during their attack, after their attack! Don't overlook any little movement either! People each have dominant hands, dominant legs and habits. For many different reasons, a fixed pattern is revealed when they move. So Chunin and Jonin also train to cut those habits so as not to telegraph that pattern to an enemy…But it's not something that can be completely eliminated. With that, you should be able to see an enemy's weakness!"

"An enemy's weakness…" Rin reiterated, she along with her other teammates processing Sakura's words.

"You have to find that weakness as fast as you can! Then you should be able to improve your ability to dodge attacks!" Concluded the stern pinkette.

"Boys, I can see that you both know how to walk on water now, so I want you both to come join Rin-chan and practice dodging my throws."

"Hai, Sakura-sensei." Kakashi and Obito stepped off the river and ran towards the brunette, as they all made sure to keep some distance between their pink-haired sensei and kept on alert, unblinking as their gazes rested on Sakura's form, looking for any early signs of movement.

Then they saw it, her arm muscles tensed as she flicked her fingers and sent the kunai and senbon at break-neck speed.

Obito then executed his clan's Fire Ball and had the massive flames aimed for Sakura. Effectively dodging the ball, her weapons melted before reaching her teammates. She felt bad for the trees that received the blow, as she missed the beauty of her village forest and hated when it had to take damage. Though her mourning was brief, as she knew this was helping her new team to grow and be better with their training.

Plus she would be a hypocrite, as she always manages to effectively and permanently vandalize nature continuously. After Sakura had gotten to the side to keep bay from the fire, she noticed her team was gone from their prior spots. Her remaining senbon and kunai in her mouth and hands, she already sensed where they were hiding, even as they attempted to make their chakra signatures discrete.

She vanished in a swirl of cherry blossoms and reappeared behind Kakashi who was crouched on a high tree branch, about to place a kunai at his neck. But her weapon flew out of her hand due to Rin throwing her own weapon to make Sakura lose her grip. Kakashi had time granted, to place his lightning blade at his sensei, making direct contact with her stomach. As they all displayed looks of utter horror and disbelief, they surprisingly, yet thankfully heard the familiar poof, as their sensei turned to a small cloud of smoke.

The next sound of water splashing made their attention directed on Sakura as she stood atop the river looking pleased at the other three.

"H-how…? When?" The team wondered, they were relieved they hadn't killed her but they still naturally had curiosity.

"Right as I walked out in the river, I made a shadow clone of myself. I have precise chakra control, so I am able to execute perfect clones of myself, with the same chakra signature, effectively confusing and throwing off the other persons. It's a technique that helped me stay alive several times without protection.

It's a technique that I created and that helped me become a Jonin. I advise you all learn and use shadow clones smartly, as it'll help you to also know your enemies' fighting style and habits before you have to reveal your actual self. I'm pleased that you could counter my clone, but as I think you all are aware, I was holding back. I won't next time we spar. For now…" She took out more senbon and kunai again.

"I just want you all to practice your dodging skills."

* * *

_**20 minutes later**_, the three Chunin were sitting down, inhaling and exhaling heavily and rapidly. Rin was healing their wounds and then took care of her own.

'_Rin is doing better, so are the boys. They deserve a break, I think it's enough for today, plus I have to go to the hospital soon anyways. Hokage-sama told me to help organize Tsunade's office at the hospital as she and Shizune were returning today. Although she will see the Hokage first, and he will explain everything to her about me, I will still want to reunite with my formerly deceased Shishou…and I'll be helping with the hospital at times when she is absent, giving me more time with my team.'_

"It's enough for today, you all did well. Now a few things before we're finished training and we'll go out to lunch. I want you all to start wearing these weights." She gestured towards the handfuls of arm and leg weights in her hands.

"This will help build your speed and endurance. I'll keep adding a bit more as the time goes by and you may take these off for missions, as they would be an unnecessary burden against an enemy. Also, Rin-chan, I have some useful medical books for you, so that when you have the time, you can train mentally as well."

At this, Rin's face beamed with excitement as she peaked at the medic books sticking half-way out of Sakura's shoulder bag she brought.

"But it's also important to not get carried away in your work. For a medical-ninja, an important aspect to remember is to know your limits. Don't get too carried away. As you progress, you forget other human necessities when you are much engrossed in saving lives or figuring out a new antidote to a poison, such as rest and nourishment. So be aware that exhaustion and malnourishment can become a huge problem…" Sakura then had a far-away glazed look as she remembered her baka always had a way of helping her leave her tent after long hours of work.

* * *

_Flashback:_

_Marika was sitting on the other side of the tent, observing and randomly asking the pinkette some questions. The two had befriended each other as they had spent a few weeks together. It was also two weeks since Sakura had seen the blonde-knucklehead. She naturally worried for her brother figure. She had always thought of him as the older brother she never had but wanted, but she was all too familiar of the fact that the feeling wasn't mutual for her best friend. She knew he loved her. He made it so obvious, looking at her like she was the only light source in a dark room. _

_Treated her like a Hime. Provoked her multiple times, some being intentional Always smiled at her and making her smile, comforting her, and just being Uzumaki Naruto. She knew all these things, but she for some reason couldn't love him the same way he always had. She didn't know why. She knew he deserved the strong loving relationship, and she just couldn't give that for him. But it was fair to say that she didn't love Sasuke-teme, nor had she ever loved the Uchiha. Sakura had told Naruto that many times. He deserved more, but she couldn't return it. _

_She was the carnivore, he was the herbivore. He provided the food willingly, she consumed it without giving any in return. But they weren't yin and yang, they were both the yin, or both the yang. The Uzumaki and Haruno weren't meant for each other as lovers._

_Then, the pinkette was out of her trance as she felt the familiar chakra closing in on her tent, though his pulse was strained. Without a second thought, her medical ninja came out once again as well as her protective nature as Sakura ran out of the tent. She scolded her best friend about never showing up and worrying her, all the while supporting his weak side as Naruto limped to her tent and leaning on her for leverage and comfort. He was glad his Sakura-chan was alright, he knew she could take care of herself, but it was a habit. He loved her after all, he was bound to worry and stress about her safety. _

"…_So don't do that again you baka, you know I worry too much about you!" Sakura concluded as she helped him lay down as her hands glowed the comforting healing color of green. _

"_I know, sorry Sakura-chan, I worried about you as well." Naruto said, the pure adoration in his azure eyes, the small grin in place as he gazed longingly at Sakura. _

"_Sakura-chan, who's that?" Questioned Marika, looking intently at the two adults in front of her. _

"_Marika-chan, this is my best friend and hero, Uzumaki Naruto, he'll become Hokage of our village once this war is over." Sakura announced with her closed-eye smile directed towards Naruto. _

"_That's right, Sakura-chan, dattebayo! Nice to meet you Marika-chan!" Naruto beamed boisterously._

"_Same to you Naruto-san." Marika said, returning the smile. _

"_Say, how did you get caught up here?" Naruto then turned serious as he regarded the younger blonde ingénue._

"_I was following my brother, I had been informed he was in this war, I wanted to find him and say goodbye at least…" Marika elaborated, lowering her head._

_Naruto stared hard at nothing in particular as he didn't want to make the girl say anymore if it hurt her. He knew Sakura would take care of the girl. _

"…_I see." He stated gloomily. _

"_Well, I wont always be around this area, but I know that my Sakura-chan will take care of you." Sakura didn't miss the way Naruto said that she was 'his'. He had done that a lot lately. Finishing healing Naruto's leg, shoulder-blade and collar-bone, she released her hands but Naruto quickly placed some chocolate in her hands before letting it go again._

_Staring at the delectable and rare sugary treat, she thanked him as he gave some to Marika-chan and himself as she indulged the flavor she missed and let it melt in her mouth, savoring its sweetness. _

"_Mmm. Arigato, Naruto-kun, where did you get this?"_

"_Oh, ya' know, I found some vendor who gives us ninja food and he had some, so yeah. He-he. Oh here's some more." Naruto extended out his hand but this time, a devilish smirk Sakura knew was dangerous, and eyed the chocolate wearily. _

"_Oh, come on. You have worked long hours and exhausting yourself, you have to eat or do something ya know!" Taking it and putting it in her mouth, Sakura's face contorted into that of disgust, and looked somewhat constipated. _

"_What the hell is this you baka!"_

"_He-he, well, I had some of the chocolate have ghost pepper in it. He-he." _

_Then all hell broke loose, as the other nearby ninja watched as a pissed pink-haired woman charged after the blonde-knuckle head. Though Naruto didn't mind at all, he had accomplished his self-imposed mission of getting Sakura-chan out of her tent and to eat something. Getting her riled up to have her chasing his tail was worth it. That sly fox…_

* * *

"Sakura-sensei, are you okay?" Asked a worried Obito, waving his hand in front of Sakura's dazed face. She had spaced out for a few minutes, worrying her team about her well-being.

"Huh?! Yeah I'm fine, sorry guys. I was just remembering something, nothing to worry about." Reassured their sensei, as they then went out to lunch.

* * *

**A/N: **He-he, sorry for updating late you guys. Time wasn't on my side these past few days. Well, happy 2014 again, it's late for that but of well, better late than never. Until next time!


	7. Acquainted Friends

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto**

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**A/N****:** Here's another chapter for my fanfic. Be sure to read and review! Arigato!

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"Sakura-sensei, are you okay?" Asked a worried Obito, waving his hand in front of Sakura's dazed face. She had spaced out for a few minutes, worrying her team about her well-being.

"Huh?! Yeah I'm fine, sorry guys. I was just remembering something, nothing to worry about." Reassured their sensei, as they then went out to lunch.

* * *

Sakura, Rin, Obito, and Kakashi walked down to Ichiraku's Ramen, as that's where they decided to eat for lunch.

The familiar stand was just as it was back in Sakura's false timeline. She had been there too many times to count, that she probably could find her way to the Ramen stand blindfolded.

Her, Naruto, Kakashi-sensei and Sai had eaten several times after missions or just for team bonding…and hurting wallets.

Seeing Teuchi again was nice as well, as she sat on one of the chairs, Rin was flanking her left side, and Obito on her right, with Kakashi next to him.

"Hey again you guys, how are you all doing? And who's this lovely young lady?" Teuchi asked warmly, drying his hands with a towel and looking at the customers.

"Ohayo Teuchi-san. This is our second sensei, Sakura-chan." Explained Obito proudly.

"Ohayo, Sakura-san. It's nice to meet you." Teuchi said.

"The feeling's mutual, Teuchi-san." Sakura exclaimed back, noticing there was no little Ayame-chan running about in her father's business, being bashful.

"So, what can I get for the hard-working team and new member of the team?" Teuchi asked, notepad in hand.

"Order anything you guys want, it's all on me." Sakura reminded them, and smiled tenderly as her team showed appreciation and skimmed through the menu and set their orders.

They all received their order and began eating. Sakura was glad that none of them were pigs as she glanced at her team members occasionally. It had always been horrendous watching Naruto or even Choji chow down their portions and inhale the contents. They could eat more than a pig or elephant, eating their fill of the bottomless pits that was their stomachs. Naruto got better with table etiquette and manners once he matured to 16, but she was just grateful she didn't need to scold and teach other people about basic manners.

Then she remembered Obito calling her 'Sakura-chan' and decided to tease the sweet, kind-hearted Uchiha.

"Sakura-chan, huh?" Sakura asked with mirth, ruffling Obito's hair.

"He-he, sorry I forgot…" He explained, rubbing the back of his head again.

"No it's alright Obito-kun, you all can call me Sakura-chan if you want, I don't mind at all!" The pinkette permitted. Watching as the Uchiha's cheeks were slightly dusted with pink, he made it too easy. It's not everyday you had the chance to tease an Uchiha. She wouldn't do it too often though, she already adored Obito, as well as the rest of the members, though not Minato, she held more of respect towards Konoha's Yellow Flash. But there was no adoration.

Sakura was reminded of her team by just looking at her new teammates and listening to the boys argue and then some. She missed when they were mere Genin that it was becoming unbearable. What good times they had together, despite her annoying obsession over Sasuke and her being ignominiously weak, and Sasuke's bastard attitude it was better when they all were a team, when they were together.

She decided to finish her Miso ramen and keep tabs on her other surroundings, Sakura couldn't afford to drop her guard because of her memories resurfacing and plaguing her otherwise sharp peripheral vision and hearing abilities, several moments a day. She was in civilian clothing, consisting of her usual red vest and Haruno clan mark resting on the back proudly with her light yellow t-shirt underneath and biker shorts, minus the medic skirt. Her feet were protected with similar boots she had prior, just the heel and whole bottom hard substance was white instead of black like the rest of the material.

Those clothing items had survived only in view of the fact that, Sakura always kept them in her bag along with her team photo and other valuable items. The outfit reminded her of her life in Konoha, having the ability to wear such clothing for a casual stroll around the familiar streets of her beautiful home. During the war, the broken-hearted pinkette would every now and then take her few cherished possessions and reminisce the good old days when life wasn't nearly half as complicated and devastating as it was for the last few years.

Her civilian clothes brought her hope that she would someday be able to wear them again and take a peaceful walk down the welcoming and earthy streets of the newly restored Konohagakure again. She kept them for a just-in-case scenario, when her remaining precious people and herself could flee the damn war once it ended. She had gotten rather impatient, complimenting her spitfire attitude perfectly, as the months dragged to years…Now she's here, in her civilian clothes. Having that reminder felt somewhat relieving, as was regaining possession of her other beloved valuables.

Even so, no normal girl had pink cherry hair, calculating emerald eyes and the evident well-toned muscle showing through her shirt and long legs. Nor did just anyone have a large forehead with marks adorning it. Any Shinobi would be suspicious of her if they weren't too careless and didn't overlook her petite and innocent appearance. An enemy wouldn't easily pass through the village guards, but one can't be too careful, the much experienced Kunoichi knew al about the art of deception and much more, due to her wisdom in battle and the war had played a supporting role in her growing development. It was obviously not a merry occurrence.

Then the pinkette caught sight of crimson red hair and dark violet eyes briskly walking towards Hokage tower, reminding her of a question she hoped she would hear the answer desired.

Turning back to face Rin, who was busy consuming some scallops and Menma-zara, she asked the question that the red-head had thankfully brought up in her mind, distracting her from her despair and sorrow.

"Rin-chan?" Sakura asked quietly.

"Hmm? Yes Sakura-chan?" Rin questioned back, swallowing remaining Menma-zara while looking expectantly at her Shishou.

The pink-haired spitfire tilted her head to the side, a cute gesture that was another habit when she was curious or trying to comprehend something.

'_Seems like all three of them like calling me by that formality.' _She inwardly mused.

"I had heard that Kushina-san and Minato-san were together, am I right?" Hearing the question perked Obito's and Kakashi's interest as they already knew the answer, but let Rin do the elaborating.

The brunette placed her chopsticks neatly against her dishes as she turned her torso to face Sakura, a few hints of pity and remorse showing on her creased brow and eyes.

"Sakura-Shishou, they had both been in a relationship…I don't know all the other miniscule details about this but we found out, as the team of Minato-sensei, that something went wrong in their relationship for them to be distant towards each other. So, Minato-sensei is currently single, and I wouldn't be dubious that he probably has no desire to find anyone else to have an intimate correlation with.

At least for a while, from my understanding. He is still exposing the hurt of the separation at times, but Minato-sensei kept saying he was over Kushina-san. I think there is still longing present for the both of them, but that's pretty much the amount of facts I have…"

Listening to the brunette say that, left Sakura inwardly panicking as well as slightly hyperventilating.

'_No! They should be arranging their wedding already, Naruto is supposed to be born within a couple of years. They never broke up in my timeline. What happened! Minato and Kushina had loved each other to get through troubles. Hime may have told me my friends would find a way into this world, but that doesn't mean I should just sit back and have that change. Naruto must be alive, he has to be born. I wouldn't know what to do with myself if he didn't come in this world.' _

She was shaking and desperate, on the verge of tears, she really missed her blonde baka, but Sakura forced a stoic face hastily and sloppily plastered on the outside. She would have to make sure Uzumaki Naruto was born, along with continuing her salient and foremost mission ever assigned. The future of the Shinobi world literally rested in her slightly callused, but still soft and powerful, hands. The soul-wrenched and tainted heart had to endure a load more of pain and despair in order for the future to brighter before her last dying breath was exhaled and her emerald orbs lost their fire as she accepted death with open arms and a last smile on her face.

She wouldn't die until she made sure Uzumaki Naruto could have the opportunity to bring peace and become the hero he had been in her other timeline and accomplish his life-long goal of becoming the Hokage he so desired to fulfill, but died before that happened…She wouldn't be a burden. The Cherry Bomb of Konohagakure would protect and watch after her comrades, she never abandoned her comrades, and she'll be damned if she started doing that even for a millisecond of her remaining lifetime.

She returned her gaze on her team as she processed all of this within seconds and made her simple answer with painted pity and worry for the Red Hot Habanera, and the Yellow Flash.

"I see…"

Thankfully, Obito then decided to change the subject of Minato's love-life and asked their pinkette sensei his own question.

"Sakura-sensei, we didn't have any real introductions! We did that when we were Genin and met Minato-sensei!" Obito pointed out hastily, expectantly waiting for Sakura to enlighten them on a bit more of herself, though not much, as she couldn't simply say anything from her other timeline, word got around irritatingly quickly. Those damn people sometimes didn't know when to shut their traps and quit gossiping about other people's crap for a day…troublesome.

"Oh yeah! Gomen, I'll start first. I'm Haruno Sakura, Anbu-Captain and loyal Medic Kunoichi of Konohagakure. My hobbies are training, reading new medic material…um, my likes, I like a lot of things…I like helping others, sweets, being useful, training and becoming more informed on things and continuing to become stronger. I hate spicy foods, people who treat others like crap and are judgmental, as well as sadists. Also people who would abandon their own comrades just to save their worthless asses. I hope to change and shape the future for the better and hopefully bring us closer to world peace…Also to train you three and help you all become strong and capable ninja who will carry the undaunted will to never give up on your dreams and responsibilities. Who's next?" Sakura finished.

She regarded her team, as they watched her with their own lingering gazes of respect and admiration, though their stares weren't suffocating. Sakura wasn't surprised in the fact that Kakashi was already done with his meal, looking at his empty bowl, with the rest of his team barely consuming half of their portions. Still wanting to keep his real face to himself, she didn't even have a glimpse during dinner last night…

She was impressed they managed to weasel into her heart within record time. Despite the fact that she absolutely loved children, especially adorable, determined and spunky little brats, it usually took a long time to let people in her heart. She was cautious like that, and her rough, early childhood had probably been a supporting factor with that conclusion. Even Ino and Naruto were under her watchful and vigilant stare for quite a while, looking for any betrayal and signs of troublesome outcomes in the later years. Even so, those two were her best friends…they had their hardships, but that's what strengthened their bonds overtime.

Obito being the gentleman he is, let Rin be next in sharing her introduction with a faint pink hue on his face.

"I'm Nohara Rin, Medic-in-training, and new acquainted apprentice of Haruno Sakura. My hobbies are training, making flower bouquets, practicing my medical-ninjutsu and helping others in need. I like sweets, determined and selfless people, training, and flowers. I don't like selfish and uncaring people and procrastinators. My dream is to be a great Kunoichi and medic. I don't want to be a burden and will make you proud Sakura-Shishou!" Rin concluded with the obvious determination and spunkiness poorly concealed, as she raised her fist in the air and had a wide smile on her pretty features, that seemed to hurt with its perimeter, practically overpowering her clan marks and hiding them.

Sakura let out a lit giggle, she really did resemble the brunette in more ways than one. If not for the difference in hair color, and lack of the Nohara facial clan marks, the pinkette would've taken the thought of somehow being related to Rin, into consideration.

"Hatake Kakashi, you knew that already though. I like a lot of things. My hobbies…training and acquiring new Jutsu. My goal is to become a great and reliable Shinobi of Konohagakure, someone to look up to and be proud of." Kakashi stated with a lazy approach, but his somewhat glare and crossing of the arms had him looking like he wanted to kill something.

'…_Kakashi-kun…It's about your father, isn't it?' _Sakura rhetorically asked inwardly, recognizing the pain desperately attempted to be shoved in his far corners of his subconscious.

After all, he was the one to say that emotions were forbidden to a Shinobi and got in the way of a mission, as he had taught her team that when he was their beloved sensei. Being forced to grow up and gain more maturity at his age was understandable and in wanting to keep his emotions at bay. But it's not possible at all times, plus, he stuck to the rules and regulations of a ninja too much, she and Minato would need to put it out of his mind and have more of comradeship in his still developing encephalon.

It was now Obito's turn as he started to introduce himself.

With his thumb pointed at himself and having his adorable signature smile in place, he announced proudly,

"I'm Uchiha Obito! I like training, talking with people and dango. I dislike bastards and arrogant people. My hobbies are training to become stronger. But my ultimate dream is to become Hokage one day! So everyone in the village will acknowledge my existence." The exuberant Uchiha proudly proclaimed.

This evidently shocked all other members of his team, as they regarded him and clearly saw his unmistakable and unwavering desire of his dream, that he had announced with the courage and strength in his voice, one that the pinkette was all too familiar with…

The cherry blossom then saw Obito smile brightly towards her and she saw her favorite blonde knuckle-head in his place for a split second, catching her off-guard. Sakura already loved her new team, but they all reminded her of the spitting images of herself and her other two teammates, that it hurt really bad. She was out of her musings when hearing Rin saying words of encouragement to the Uchiha, putting aside her past for a later time of day to have a turn at saying her thoughts.

"Do your best Obito-kun!" The kind-hearted brunette exclaimed with her palm fisted in a heartening and motivating manner, having the bashful spiky-haired pre-teen to blush with another grin. Kakashi made no comment, better than him to say anything discouraging or offensive, she supposed.

"I know you can do it, Obito-kun!" Sakura said, placing her hand in his soft locks and affectionately tousling it, then adding,

"And I'll be there to help you, train you, be there for you, and make sure you accomplish your dream! Dattebayo!" The pinkette declared, looking at him straight in the eye with a silent promise and fire in her emerald gems. Naruto may not have been able to make his dream a reality, but she would make sure the sweet and spunky Uchiha would not go through the same fate as her dearly beloved and deceased best friend…So many promises and lives on her shoulders, but the pink-haired Kunoichi was still alive and kicking, or more of punching. Her courage, faith and stubbornness, somewhat obtained from Naruto, was the reasoning her backbone was still intact, as well as her thinning sanity.

Obito seemed at a loss for words as he recognized his sensei's will to be there for him. He grew close to the pinkette, despite the short time spent, and Rin and Kakashi obviously had Sakura growing on their own hearts, as they did hers.

"Thanks Sakura-sensei, thanks Rin-chan! Your support means a lot to me." Rin and Sakura let their smiles continue to adorn their gorgeous features.

"Hn. You'll need to train harder you baka." Kakashi stated rudely and bluntly, crossing his arms and had his chin up in an arrogant and snotty manner.

That comment would've earned him a good beating from his new housemate and sensei if she didn't take his discrete motives to mind. She had been the sharpest girl in her past, and still is after all.

'_Huh, little Gaki. Although it's rude, his retort is motivating in an annoying and irritating way. Still reminds me of Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun, fighting consistently and frequently. I guess some things are passed down from teams, and I'll have to cope with their bickering as well…Naruto and Sasuke were at each other's throats constantly, wanting to surpass the other. Same applies to Kakashi-kun and Obito-kun apparently. _

_Their rivalry will flourish into a strong bond of friendship and they will both become strong through each other's hardships, just like my old teammates. Kakashi means well, he is just too full of his man pride to give into Obito's determination too easily to drop his normally stoic and stern reputation.'_

"Tch. I _will _work hard and train harder! I'll become Hokage someday, just you wait, you teme! I'll surpass you!" Obito retorted, jabbing his pointer finger in Kakashi's face, irritating the silver-haired boy who started the dispute anyways.

The two female members just sighed at the boy's squabbling and antics.

Then the air changed, as Sakura felt the abrupt swift movement of an Anbu member make his appearance behind her. Upon recognizing the Anbu garbs and mask, the pinkette let her muscles relax slightly, waiting for his quick message to be spoken of.

"Hokage-sama has requested your arrival to Hokage tower shortly." The man in a hawk mask responded, disappearing once he saw the understanding nod from the informed pinkette.

Obito and Kakashi having ceased the previous bickering, looked toward their sensei in slight disappointment in having her needed to leave so soon.

Sakura placed the proper amount of ryo on the counter to pay for her team and herself, along with a tip for Teuchi, she looked at her team members and said one last thing before leaving them to the tower.

"Now, don't look sad, I had a nice time with all of you, and pleased to know each other a bit more. Now, I want you all to be sure to train a bit more on your own and have some rest. I'll hopefully see you tomorrow if a mission isn't assigned to me yet." She turned to leave, before rotating her head to glance back at the three sets of eyes trained on her.

"Next time we talk, I want to know what all of your nindo's are!" Sakura announced with her closed-eye smile.

"Our…nindo?" Kakashi asked, somewhat perplexed.

"Yes, your ninja way. Why you have chosen the dangerous and life-long dedicated journey of a Shinobi life. I'm curious as to what your views are on life, how you see things, and so on. I'll enlighten you all with my own after figuring out yours. Jange!" the pinkette waved, before taking to the rooftops, leaving the other three Chunin contemplating their sensei's words.

* * *

**At Hokage Tower**

The tension coming from inside the tower made itself known, as Sakura made her way up the flight of stairs leading to her destination.

'_Hokage-sama's chakra is somewhat flared in agitation and distress. What's going on?' _Said pinkette sped faster up the steps and knocked on the door that separated her from the tense Hokage.

With the approval for entrance, she made her way to the center of the room, door closed and bowing quickly as common courtesy and respect for her Hokage.

"Ohayo, Hokage-sama. You've summoned me?"

"Hello, Sakura-chan. I have sent some Anbu on a scavenger hunt for Orochimaru, as he has made no move or presence around the Fire Country. In your memories, that's where I've secretly sent them off to. Some have reported back to me of his current hideout, set with numerous traps, abundant numbers of followers and others with the Curse Mark and several experiments." Hiruzen said, watching the Kunoichi's reaction closely, noticing her share of shock, tension, and confusion.

"Hokage-sama, I've only been here not even a few days, how is it possible that Anbu already had been in Sound? Let alone return within a day or so?"

Then realization spread on her face, before voicing her elaboration and suspicion.

"Or, does one of those Shinobi happen to be Minato-san?" She wondered, eyebrows quirked upwards crookedly.

"Yes, and he had used his Thunder God technique, if that's what you were thinking Sakura-chan." The Hokage elaborated, still having his muscles tense and in distress from having proof that his pupil was, in fact, a criminal and had committed unforgivable deeds.

Sakura merely nodded, mouth in a firm line as she regarded her Hokage and waited for him to continue with what he needed to say.

Breathing deeply, Sarutobi returned his hardened and stern gaze to rest upon Sakura's viridian eyes.

"As the Third Hokage, and the former Sensei of Orochimaru, it is my responsibility and duty to protect the Village Hidden in the Leaves from any threats and harms, no matter the circumstances. He is silently preparing for the ambush on his birthplace, according from those memories of yours. And with your interference of this timeline that you're originally from, the events of life could alter dramatically. They could occur sooner, later, or not at all, Sakura-chan. So, I will set out to Sound, as Orochimaru has no evidence of us knowing his whereabouts, and we must cease his experimentations and save many lives. He has to be executed."

He continued to scrutinize her changing expressions as the words processed in her sharp mind, not interrupting his explanation.

"Jiraiya has already agreed to join in the pursuit and execution of Orochimaru. Jiraiya already knows the background story about you, so no worries. I will be sure to inform Tsunade about this new information, as well as revealing your past to her, as I believe you'd like to reunite with you're former Shishou, correct?"

"Hai, Hokage-sama…And, Orochimaru's right-hand man, Yakushi Kabuto has brought severe damage upon the nations, as you are already aware of from witnessing from my memories." Sakura noted, now looking downcast, her bangs shadowing her saddened and depressed features upon saying the teme's name, reminding her of the smoke, blood, agony, and so on.

The Cherry Blossom wouldn't be immensely flabbergasted, if she developed hemophobia, the fear of blood, just like Tsunade-Shishou. She had been so used to seeing liters of the crimson juice spilled unceremoniously on the staining grounds. She had grown somewhat accustomed to it, that it unnerved her eminently. It scared her, her favorite color had always been red, and she had seen it every which way she had turned, during her three years and 148 days on the battlefield.

Her profession of a healer had always forced her brain to work restlessly on her dying patients, whether blood was in sight or not. So, she would never know if she would develop the phobia, though it would be safer and less life-threatening, if she were to stay fearless.

"Yes, and you are hoping to carry out your vengeance and help stop the upcoming Fourth Shinobi World War I presume?" Hokage interrupted her musings, putting her brain towards a more serious matter in-the-now.

"That's what I had anticipated, so, I'll speak to Tsunade and will let you know of the plans later on." Sarutobi finished.

"Hai, Hokage-sama!" Sakura saluted respectively to her village leader and made her leave towards the familiar Konoha Hospital.

'_I'll have the chance at vengeance! To end the teme's life for what he had done and caused for everyone!' _

Sakura silently vowed, releasing stress and tension by fisting her palms until they shook at her sides. She had stopped using medicine balls and stress relievers, as they would only be useful one time. Due to the brute strength the pinkette carried it broke or effectively mangled the object, so her alternatives were balling her fists or training.

Making her way to the vast white building, she greedily drank in the surrounding view and beauty of her village. She truly had missed the simple pleasures that were included in the Hidden Village within the Leaves.

Nearing her current destination that was now within her peripheral vision, she distinguished the waterfall length red hair, none other than the Habanera herself. The red-head looked peeved and on a timely schedule as their were obviously no nurses available to help her from her discomfort. Crossing the short distance in a run, the spitfire now saw that the Habanera had a fractured left rib, and several bruises and scrapes randomly placed on her form.

Grin in place, Sakura made her way over to the Habanera and grabbed her attention.

"Ohayo! I'm Haruno Sakura! Would you like me to heal your wounds? I'm a medical-ninja so I know what to do." Sakura announced, looking at the beautiful red-head's purple-tinted eyes.

The firecracker extended her bruised and scraped arm towards the spitfire as she silently observed the pinkette work efficiently and quickly.

Now finished with healing the rib and completely diminishing the nasty red marks from the Habanera's skin, Sakura turned her eyes towards Kushina.

"Wow, thanks so much! You really helped save me some time, your work is great and quick!" Kushina praised the pinkette, twisting her arms for a better look at her now perfect skin.

"Oh, it was nothing, miss." Sakura said waving her hands in front of her, acting oblivious to the Habanera's name, as it would give away her true identity. Raising some troublesome outcomes that were to be avoided.

"I'm Uzumaki Kushina!" said woman exclaimed, extending her hand towards Sakura again with a smile on her face.

Taking the outstretched hand in her own, the two acquainted adults shook hands firmly.

"Hajimemashite, Kushina-san!"

"Hajimemashite! But please, call me Kushina-chan, Sakura-chan. I know we'll be great friends!" Kushina announced, uplifting Sakura's mood as she had successfully befriended a person who will be precious to her, along with the many others who have affected her in the same way.

"…But, how come I never seen you around this area?" Kushina questioned curiously.

"Oh! I had to reside in a small village for several years as an S-rank mission, being an undercover Anbu gathering necessary information. Now that it's successful, I can now live in my home village!" Sakura lied smoothly.

Seeming to have bought the lie, Kushina then asked,

"I see, so, Sakura-chan, we should hang out sometime, what do you say?"

"Alright, Kushina-chan! Will do, but now I have to do some things now so maybe we can plan on something soon?"

"Sounds fine with me, see 'ya later!"

"Arigato, Kushina-chan, see you later!"

Sakura then headed up to the known office that belonged to a certain blonde-haired, hazel-eyed, hot-tempered woman, whom Sakura loved as a mother and teacher figure.

Stepping into the office, some piles of papers were strewn in different locations, and empty Sake bottles Sakura knew would be lazily stashed in the cabinets and drawers, she set to work on tidying up the place.

'_It's not too bad, Shishou still has some proper skills of keeping things clean and organized for the most part, but, she can be side-tracked often…' _Mused the busy spitfire, sweat dropping upon throwing away the fifth empty bottle of Sake into the now plump trash bag.

After a while of cleaning, the room was finished and the bags disposed of, as the growing sounds of high-heels clicking on the wooden floor were heading towards the office, knowing that it was the woman already, just from her footsteps and familiar chakra.

The door opened with a jerk as the busty woman and assistant with a pig in her arms came in, the intoxicating smell of booze lingering on the intimidating woman as she turned her half-drunk self to where Sakura was standing and nearly shouted in a demanding tone,

"Who the hell are you?!"

'_I guess some things will never change…' _Sakura thought with a mix of relief and irritation.

* * *

**A/N: **Hey! Gomen for not updating sooner, I had been sleep-deprived and had tons of homework, plus finals to study for…So, here's chapter 7. Be sure to read and review please! Arigato!


	8. Reckless Strategist

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto**

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**A/N: **Arigato to everyone who has read my fic and has taken the time to review. I accept good and bad reviews, just a reminder. I won't be offended, I rather take them to consideration and use them to hopefully better my stories' progression. I understand that not everyone will like my fanfic and I'm alright with that! Also, I'm aware that there are some errors in my chapters, and I try to catch as many as possible, so please forgive me on that. So, thank you all again, and here's chapter 8.

* * *

The door opened with a jerk as the busty woman and assistant with a pig in her arms came in, the intoxicating smell of booze lingering on the intimidating woman as she turned her half-drunk self to where Sakura was standing and nearly shouted in a demanding tone,

"Who the hell are you?!"

'_I guess some things will never change…' _Sakura thought with a mix of relief and irritation.

* * *

'_It's a surprise Shishou hadn't obtained kidney failure in my other time, what with all the Sake she consumes…she really needs to lay off on the booze. It only makes you forget the question of your problems, but it doesn't provide an answer to them.' _Thought Sakura, as she laid her emerald jewels on the younger form of her teacher, looking her straight in the captivating hazel orbs.

Though the large-chested woman was merely drunk, she was still all the more intimidating, not that it affected the pinkette anymore. She had years of experience with all the glares the blonde could plaster on her face, and helpful abuse from the brutal training she undertook. Sakura was proud that she could stare down death in the eye now, without cowering or shivering, thanks to Tsunade-sama. All in all, Sakura was overjoyed to see her mother-figure and teacher alive.

Letting her green eyes gloss, filling of unshed tears, with relief and contentment on revealing on her features, she let her emotional side take over and crossed the room and took the busty woman in a tight hug, making the atmosphere of the room heart-warming, convivial and confusing the blonde and brunette.

The Slug Queen came to her senses and seemed to be more sober than drunk now, as she froze and had her breath hitched under the impassioned pinkette holding her in a strong, and deep-seated hug with the pinkette tearlessly sobbing. Sakura still refused to cry out physically, deeming that she had done more than enough of that on the battlefield.

Tsunade couldn't bring herself to withdraw from the young adult, she rather felt familiar with her, strangely. So she found her own arms reflexively wrap themselves around the sobbing girl's back, her eyelids sliding so she wasn't having her hazel orbs widened any longer and let the girl continue to hug her before wanting to question her about her antics.

Tsunade had made her digestive system quicken itself as to help her take in things clearer. Then remembering her talk with her Sensei, before returning to her office, now having an idea about the girl.

Shizune was watching the scene with warmth and a small smile at the two women in front of her. Having put Ton-Ton on the ground, she was caught off guard again as the pinkette released her arms from the blonde and took the necessary steps towards the brunette and taking her in an equally heartwarming embrace.

Not recalling the last time she had this kind of attention towards her, Shizune took a tinge longer to respond to the surprising hug, as she and Tsunade were still left unenlightened to the pinkette's foreign and bemusing tomfoolery.

Finally liberating from the gestures, Sakura looked both of her formerly deceased precious comrades in the eye.

"Well, I guess that was a warm welcome…" The Slug Queen began, folding her arms and had a look of slight mirth and demand on her face, waiting for elaboration.

"Gomen. I had thought that Hokage-sama had informed you both of me and…where I previously inhabited, also where I have originated from." Sakura started, relieving herself from the short-lived emotional episode, and having her nearly perfect stoic mask in place, all serious and business.

The blonde and brunette scrutinized her form, immediately taking in the dark lilac rhombus yin seal on her brow, along with the obvious intrigue of noticing the other flanking seals, Sakura still unbeknownst to the new permanent flowers. Then noticing her attire and petite yet muscled body, they assumed she was professional at diversion and taijutsu.

Tsunade altered her gaze to that of understanding, this was the girl that her sensei had mentioned, about supposedly being her apprentice and coming from the future to save the Shinobi world from eternal damnation.

Searching her surroundings as of habit and on instinct, the blonde noticed the now pristine medium-size workplace with gratitude and slightly increased piqued interest in the pink-haired Gaki in front of her.

She then strode to her secret cabinets and found them empty of the Sake bottles that previously occupied the space and looked back at Sakura.

"Sakura, is it? So you're supposedly my apprentice sent back here from the future?" Tsunade went back to scrutinizing the young woman, impressed that Sakura could look back at her with an equally intense stare without backing away.

"Hai, Tsunade-Shishou!" Sakura replied.

"Hmp, it's been a while since having that formality in my name." The mused blonde glanced at Shizune.

"And you also have the yin seal. I had thought sensei was going senile, but now that I've seen your antics and yin seal, I guess not. But can you back up your and the old man's words? What can you do, little blossom?" Tsunade challenged, an excited glint for a little spar to confirm the pinkette's claim of being her prized apprentice.

To the blonde's blitheness, the pinkette situated an irrepressible smirk full of rapturous and devious intent. Also lifting her arms and punching her right hand into her left palm to show her acceptation to the compelling dare.

"I won't go easy on you, Shishou." Sakura teased.

"Ha! That's my line you brat! I'll have to knock some sense into your pink head for that." Tsunade shouted, but her eyes still betrayed the mirth and growing desire for the fight.

Shizune just followed the two other women towards the closest training ground and watched from afar, observing their battle stances and calculating stares, knowing this will be a destructible and heated battle.

The two gorgeous spitfires trailed their piercing gazes on the other's form, taking in the tensed muscles of bent knees and elbows, waiting for the opposite person to perform the first move.

Then they both set their right feet roughly on the ground and charged towards the target, at an alarming tempo, both colliding their right fists in a fearsome fist bump of forces that rattled the earth's crust, disquieting the forest creatures, a change in the air making everything flee the area. Shizune watched in awe and surprise, as none of the teeth-clenching women were overpowering the other, as if they possessed the mirror amount of brute strength, as neither had used chakra to ameliorate their already naturally calamitous vigor.

Emerald met Honey, as Tsunade held her stare of seriousness and a tinge of excitement, as she was slightly impressed at Sakura's equal force in the bony and soft, yet battle-hardened duke. While the pinkette held her unfazed gaze of the habitual stubbornness and strong-willed nature burning in her eyes as she vowed she'd make her Shishou proud of her in this timeline.

As she had worked for years to hear the desired praise from her mentor that was achieved during the Fourth War, that had brought her hopes to dim a little brighter and a soft smile on her worn-out face as she had felt Tsunade-Shishou's hand pat her pink head tenderly and affectionately with her own smile and said the words, '_You did well.'_ Sakura felt that she had accomplished her behindhand covet desire of becoming a formidable and respected Kunoichi that her deceased parents had aspired for her.

Sakura then clasped her hand around her opponents' appendage, keeping her in place, and prepared to perform a roundhouse kick to her Shishou's blonde head. Having caught Sakura's foot just inches away from the blonde's face, Tsunade swung her torso in a circular motion, having Sakura's body vulnerable as Tsunade flung the pinkette at a thick tree. Having her brain already seeing this action, readied herself as she rotated so her feet would come in contact to the trunk and pushed off, and met her mentor again.

Having done taijutsu and blocking attacks for a few more minutes, Sakura chose the time to distance her from the blonde. The honey-eyed woman did the same as they both drew in a few needed breaths, both equally having the occasional debris and hair out of place. But they were also equally not satisfied, whether a spar or full-out fight, the women were too damn persistent to give in to either situation, like Shishou like apprentice, though the cherry bomb didn't pick up on her mentor's vile habits of gambling and drinking, only the occasional glass of Sake consumed by the cherry blossom was all.

"Heh, you tired, Gaki?" Tsunade asked arrogantly, testing her supposed-apprentice's reactions.

"Not even close, Shishou. I learned from the best after all. What with the nearly insufferable training and austere aura on you all the time with me. But thanks to you and a few others, I became the person I am today, so I thank you, Tsunade-Shishou." Sakura stated with a small but viewable grin as she popped her knuckles and punched the ground creating the petal effect of the earth splitting.

The blonde was amazed with the gratitude colored in the Gaki's voice and the familiar destructive blows that permanently vandalized the grass-blanketed ground. She jumped away from the flying debris as Sakura was out of her sight for a short time before she had to flee again from the advancing lightning that further damaged the earth and further baffled the large-chested woman.

Shizune was still observing the intriguing fight, up in a tree avoiding the randomly tossed detritus.

'_Impressive. I never thought anyone else would obtain the power that Tsunade-sama has. A power I never had the chance to gain with the absence of perfect chakra control. And Sakura-san knows how to take advantage of the situation, creating the destruction with lightning affinity charging through the ground, effectively throwing off Tsunade-sama, all the while escaping her prior spot, with no trace of chakra behind. As if she disappeared.' _

The brunette saw her former teacher regain her footing and searched for pink, the brunette doing the same movement. She didn't intend on joining the sparring session, but she was a Kunoichi, you never let the damn guard down, even having the comfort of being sure Sakura wouldn't try anything to actually inflict harm. Tsunade then brought her own fist down on the small amount of remaining intact terra firma. What she saw was a head of pink with her hand almost around the blonde's ankle. Sakura then having to retreat from the flying fists and high-heeled kicks. The cherry bomb had anticipated her failure of catching her mentor and enveloping her in the dirt, she had picked up as much from her own brain power, experience and being around Shikamaru a lot during her other timeline.

The professional tactician had practically engraved his skill and thought-process in her mind with all the intelligent conversations they shared with one another. He was her friend, they both lost so much.

With her body in the air, she made the correct set of hand signs and made her water Jutsu take affect.

"Suiton: Mizurappa! (Water Style: Water Trumpet)" Sakura exclaimed, shooting out a large jet of water from her mouth, through her hand, towards the blonde.

'_Tsunade-sama had never taught any affinity to herself or me. So how does Sakura-san have three nature affinities?' _Shizune contemplated, arms crossed and eyes narrowed in concentration. Tsunade had the same thought running through her head as she ran towards the other side of the clearing, trying to lure in the pinkette, since she herself doesn't have long-range ninjutsu or affinities to counter the blows.

Attempting to dodge the oncoming Jutsu by running full speed, the Slug Queen took in her changing surroundings as she noticed the ground was converted to mud from the massive water coming in contact with the damaged and softened floor.

She then had a look of realization as the blonde saw through Sakura's well thought out choice of action and pulsed some chakra to aid in distancing herself from the mud.

'_Sakura-san is trying to corner Tsunade-sama by turning the ground to mud. Which in turn would make mobility difficult and to sink in more easily. The trees would be more unstable as well…' _Continued Shizune as she felt a new figure be known by her side.

The perverted Sannin made sure to have his chakra distinguishable, as to avoid the need to dodge poisoned senbon and other tricks the brunette had up her sleeve if he just decided to materialize without any forewarning.

"Looks like I missed the start of an interesting fight. How are you doing, Shizune?" Jiraiya started, making small talk while keeping his eyes on the two captivating women in the middle of their fight, though they most-likely knew Jiraiya was watching them as well.

"I'm doing fine, Jiraiya-san. You haven't been snooping in the public bathhouses, right?" Said brunette asked as she turned her eyes to daggers at the Sannin in a threatening manner.

Sheepishly rubbing the back of his head and about to defend himself from any sort of wrath, they were both interrupted as their attention was brought back to the now two standing women, talking among each other. Though Jiraiya and Shizune were a good distance away, they still made out the rapid lip movements and translated them to words.

"You're good, kid. I guess you really are my apprentice. You were able to dodge and counter almost every one of my attacks. You also bring various situations to your advantage, changing the earth to mud, then trying to get a hold on my ankle from below again, impressive. And I assume you acquired the knowledge of nature affinities from your other sensei's?"

"Yes, Shishou." Sakura replied almost tonelessly, the resurfacing memories were poking at her mind and effectively plaguing her mood, as she held Asuma's signature weapon in her hands, her chakra flaring in them into an elongated deadly blade, as she pushed off the ground with her torso bent and hands in front and closed in on her mentor.

* * *

Flashback:

'_tap'_

_The intelligent and astute strategist moved his game piece, expectantly waiting for the clever and sharp-witted spitfire to make her next move. She knew that the war had forcefully altered the minds of most, if not-all Shinobi fighting in the alliance, but something was off with Shikamaru, more than usual. _

_She was well aware of him losing his father and the love of his life, also her friend, Temari-chan. So she naturally worried about his well-being and observed him more than the game of Shogi they were half-way into. Surely if anything else was plaguing his thought processing and sanity then he would probably lose it altogether, what with what he had already lost. _

_Making her move without interest, she returned her scrutinizing gaze to her long-time friend, sensing his phlegmatic aura slowly draining away. Muscles more tense, jaw tightened, thinking harder than was necessary for Shogi, as he was concentrating on the game, but she could tell he had something else clouding his otherwise sharp mind. _

_He had come in to see Sakura a day earlier, having a damaged and torn arm with his shoulder blade dislocated and his right calf had some infected wounds. His recovery was a success, as was expected from Tsunade's successor, but it had Sakura eyeing the pineapple-head with concern, as he was never that reckless in his fighting. _

"_There's no hiding it, Shika, we've relied on each other for a while, so you know you can tell me any of your troublesome problems." Sakura reminded him, making him return the eye contact and she saw the pain in his irises through his droopy eyelids. _

"_Observant as always, I see you still have your touch Sakura." He replied back, placing another game piece on the board. _

"_I'm looking out for a friend, and your losing your touch, pineapple." She countered, placing her piece down. _

"_Care to listen, cherry?" He asked seriously, keeping their gazes locked. _

"_What happened?" Sakura pressed, confirming his question. _

_They talked about their feelings and past memories, whether happy or depressing. Neither were ever ashamed of those acts, as they always vented for each other. They didn't have much time to hang out in the past, but the war had brought their friendship bond closer. They were as close as you can get while being just friends. _

"_It's not really an event, but rather a suspicion over someone." The brunette said, leaving the rest of his words in his voice box._

"_Care to elaborate?" Sakura continued, showing she genuinely cared, as she always offered to listen and aid her comrades in any possible way. _

_Crossing his arms, he had already made his turn at the game and proceeded to explain his thoughts. Maybe it was paranoia, or the thinning sanity, maybe just the damn war but Shikamaru let his mouth flow out, the cherry blossom listening intently. _

"_That girl who suddenly appeared in the middle of the battlefield, I don't really feel that much trust towards her." _

"_What has you against Marika?"_

"_Think about it Sakura, she awakened her chakra, related to a deceased Akatsuki member, and appeared out of no where. She is hiding something."_

"_She's a kid, Shika…" _

"_Kids are easily manipulated and poisoned . They will follow the steps and orders of those who provide comfort and their unwavering trust. Even if it's false, it's hard to change the trust of the person the kid had grown up thinking they are safe and protected. Unless they see little by little, the proof that they shouldn't be trusted, then again they could change their minds under new environment as well…" _

"_You're thinking too hard, yet you've become increasingly oblivious and unknowingly careless. Don't fog your mind with the deaths of those you lost, I too have lost people. You have no idea what it's like, to be the medical ninja, their last hope at breathing, and to fail them. But I still have to fight until my last breath." _

_Sakura took his hand in hers, squeezing it tightly to where it caused discomfort from her strength. _

"_So, I want you to remember, that you still have those remaining with you here. If you feel the pain in your hand now, then that means you're alive, a hope for the future of our world. Don't give up, pineapple." She finished, her face serious and determined, observing Shikamaru's own grateful expression._

"_Thanks cherry, I needed that. But that doesn't change my mind about the kid, I want you to still be on guard. You understand?" He said back, serious at the end but still grateful to have a friend here with him before he departed again to the front lines. _

"_I understand." Then they both shared a small smile and embraced one another in a tight and long hug. They never cried in front of each other, so with their position, they let a few drops of salty water trail their cheeks to the lumpy floor. _

"_Take care, Sakura." Shikamaru whispered. _

"_You're coming back, Shikamaru! I won't be able to bear another comrade to pass away." _

_They broke away from the embrace and both stood a foot apart, still conversing. _

"_I'm losing my touch, Sakura, it would take a miracle to make it out alive again. If death came my way, I wouldn't be able to avoid it much longer, but don't take my upcoming death in vain, as for the other fallen Shinobi and Kunoichi, Sakura." He made it sound like it was supposed to happen, almost calmly saying everything to her, or he was masking his emotions like any other man tried to carry out, but this wasn't Shikamaru anymore, and she hated to think that._

"_Are you giving up on hope?! Are you just going to carelessly let your life be taken away? Huh, Shika?! This isn't the Nara Shikamaru I knew!" She demanded, fists shaking at her sides, but he paid no heed to the shaking palms. _

"_No, Sakura, I will fight till the end, I'm just saying beforehand is all. Take care." With that he turned to leave but Sakura got hold of his hand and embraced him again, as a farewell and good luck, feeling him hesitate then place his arms around her again. _

"_Take care Shikamaru." _

"_Same to you, Sakura." Then he left the tent._

_She then noticed the game board, she had won. Even more worried for her departing friend. Of course she had won several times against the Nara, but this situation was different altogether. He already wasn't as focused as before, before the informed death's of Temari-chan and Shikaku-san._

_Then Sakura also noticed two shiny pieces of metal and brought them in her hands. _

_He was never this careless, never this reckless or forgetful, let alone, of his valuables- especially. Sakura knew he was already far away from the camp to be able to return Asuma's weapon to him, so she hoped he would return soon so she could give it back to him. _

_But she silently knew inside, that he was probably not coming back…_

* * *

Her Shishou barely managed to escape her prison of solid ground when she didn't have time to react to Sakura's advances of Asuma's blades coming at her neck, in a few seconds the blonde found herself backed against a tree, the elongated blade at her neck.

With an impressed smirk, the Slug Queen congratulated her,

"Impressive, Gaki. You cornered me." She said after Sakura withdrew the weapon and placed them back in her pocket, receiving a rough but affectionate flick to her brow from the blonde.

* * *

**A/N:** Hey again! Please forgive me for not updating sooner! Gomen! I had finals and other stuff to take care of. So I hope you all enjoyed my story so far, and I'll try to update another chapter by Tuesday or Wednesday this week, no promises though… Arigato, of and don't forget to review please!


	9. Bloodthirsty Vengeance

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto!**

* * *

**A/N:** Hey everyone! Hope you all are doing well. Well, here's the next chapter, I already know how to proceed with my story, it just all depends on time. I have to make the best of what I've got, and thanks again to everyone who read and reviewed/favorite/followed and whatever! Let me know how I'm doing. Also, check out these awesome songs from Naruto! **Wind; Himoji; Dead Demon Consuming Seal (Remastered); Night Attack; Sacred Fire; Swaying Necklace; Evening Calm; Damask; Flying Light; Hokage **and many more!

* * *

With an impressed smirk, the Slug Queen congratulated her,

"Impressive, Gaki. You cornered me." She said after Sakura withdrew the weapon and placed them back in her pocket, receiving a rough but affectionate flick to her brow from the blonde.

* * *

**In Sakura's Room**

The cherry blossom stood in front of her full-body length mirror on the far corner of her dull and nearly tasteless room.

What she had discovered, left her baffled and motionless. It seemed like hours she had stood there, just staring at her bare form. Sakura hadn't had any reason to glimpse herself in any mirror for any reason up until her Shishou had brought up something after their spar.

* * *

**Flashback:**

_Shizune and Jiraiya joined the disheveled women, shortly after they ceased their sparring session. _

_They all made their small talk until Tsunade thought it a good time to bring up a mutual source of curiosity that Shizune and Jiraiya were also interested in knowing. _

"_Hey kid? How did you get these other seals on either side of the Yin seal?" Asked Tsunade, poking the two Sakura flowers and intriguing the other two occupants more, waiting for the baffled young adult to respond. _

"_What? I only remember acquiring the Yin seal, not any oth-" But she cut herself off short, eyes widening in confusion and had a quick catch of what had happened before she was sent here. _

_In her mind, she saw her dying parents place their fingers on her forehead, a calming fresh and chilling mint sensation had taken place, that only intensified as Obito and Kakashi had done the same before departing. _

_Sakura refocused her eyes, and looked between the now concerned faces. _

"_Excuse me, I have to go, I'll see you all tonight at the gates!" Sakura yelled as she bounded off towards her home, leaving the others more concerned for the pinkette. _

_Not even thinking clearly, her mind focused on needing to look herself in the mirror, she nearly collided into a toned chest until reflex acted on her body to skid her heels on the pavement to stop inches from the man who suddenly appeared. _

_Her antics were reckless, but the spiky-blonde couldn't help but have a little chuckle escape his lips at her antics. _

_The green-eyed spitfire let her cheeks color a hue similar to her hair with embarrassment of being caught of guard. _

"_Sorry Minato-san, I have to prepare for departure." Said the cherry bomb, marring her face into serious and dangerous mode, stepping aside from the blonde, his laughter cut off short and caught her shoulder._

_Turning back to look at Minato, he placed a handsome crooked grin in place with his eyes trained on hers._

"_I talked to my team right after coming back, using my Jutsu. You have already helped improve their dodging and water walking skills, I'm amazed. And they all have you in their hearts, admiring you and wanting to find out more about you. Gomen that I wasn't able to join you all at lunch, so I'd like to get together again for an outing, ya' know, to figure out some more things about one another." Finished Minato, having an eye crinkle, Sakura nearly forgetting her previous stress. _

_Returning the smile with an eye crinkle of her own, she shrugged off his hand from her shoulder and remarked,_

"_You sound as if I am expected to come back to Konoha alive, or in one piece, yes?" _

_He looked taken aback, seeming to remember what the pinkette was going to do, why she had to leave and finish the task. _

"_Well I-I was just saying, and I'm certain everything will turn out fine, especially since you have Sensei, Tsunade-san, Shizune-san, and Hokage-sama with you…" He trailed off. _

"_It's alright Minato-san, I'll fight with everything I've got, I have been through hell many times, plus I have much more unfinished business to take care of before I'm to die. The Will of Fire still kindles ablaze in my half-eaten heart." She finished off, determination laced, with her fist in the air and the emerald fire in her eyes, reassuring Minato of the near events. _

"_Half-eaten?" Minato reiterated in a question. _

"_Years of adrenaline, whether healthy or bad, eats at your heart slowly over time. Plus stress and tragedy can take its toll on a person." Sakura elaborated easily. _

_Then Sakura turned her torso around, her face to the side watching the blonde._

"_Nice chatting with you, but I need to prepare for tonight, and lunch does sound good, later." With that she left the blonde looking thoughtfully after her, as she went to her house to make dinner for Kakashi-kun before having the nerve to inspect the alien seals on her forehead that made their places there, without her approbation. _

_She wanted to hopefully uncover why he and Kushina split apart, not up front, as a broken relationship is a sensitive topic for anyone, especially if the occurrence was current. _

_She intended to mend things in time, relationships, lives, whatever she could and would. Sakura also found herself looking forward to actually spend time with the intriguing Yellow Flash. All would play out in it's own way, she concluded. _

* * *

Sakura was still standing upright in front of her mirror, staring at her naked body, or more of her alienated forehead. She had planned for a scalding hot shower before leaving, her things already packed, and dinner in the fridge for the silver-haired teen. Her curiosity took over though, ending up with a bare and chilled woman standing frozen in place. She did a slow once-over of her form, making sure she wasn't hallucinating, for the hundredth time, and wondering when the Sakura flowers made themselves a permanence on her brow, and why Hime never said anything about her parents' motives.

Her dainty feet, soft flesh on the top, her bottom parts layered in protective, hardened skin with how much use and strain were put on them. Her legs bare of her knee-length boots, making them seem a mile-long. Her body was curved in all the right places, hardened and toned to fit her, but not too bulky. It worked better in her favor, helping her stay feminine and dangerous. She was dangerous, and damn good at deception, she only needed her brute strength for the low-lives, all the other criminals and rogues, was a well-deserved workout.

Her abdomen, just like the rest of her, toned and feminine, all except for the scar that she purposely left alone. The scar Sasori had given her when his poisoned-coated katana pierced her skin like butter, straight through her spleen. She could have healed it entirely, but it was a reminder of her hardships and that she was human after all.

She didn't seek the eternity of flawless skin, she was a Kunoichi, she could live with scars, the rest were healed, but she refused to let it leave her skin. She also coated an invisible seal on it, so when others or herself was healing her, it would stay there.

Then her hands made their way to the two distinguishable Sakura blossoms on either side of her yin seal. She was indeed troubled by this discovery. She would have to ask Ayame-hime about them later, realizing it was already dark. The moonlight from her window casting a glow on her beautiful pale flesh, her hair a tinge resemblance to lilac, and her neck, smooth and long, with a necklace resting on her breast-plate.

The pendant proudly casting its own radiance in the limited light source. It was securely held on a durable chain. The pendant being a white Sakura flower, having hundreds of fine cracks for the design, it being protected with a thick layer of hard glass over it for the finish.

It was a precious necklace that the pinkette always wore, never unclasping it. Her parents always held a soft, saddened gaze when she had questioned about it. Sakura was never told who had given it to her, but that the person was very special, important, irreplaceable, and that she would reunite with that someone later on. To always cherish her necklace, take care of it, and it reminded Sakura of the memory. Though, she was yet to have found the person who gave her the beautiful pendant.

The cherry blossom was still hopeful of finding that person one way or another. Averting her gaze from her necklet and dropping her arms to her sides, she wandered the traces of her face, her oversized forehead the dominant and even more pronounced of her features. Leaving that area of her head, she reminded herself to demand answers from Ayame later on.

Then, the cherry bomb scanned over both sides of her profile briefly. Sakura's face was flawless, free of blemishes and acne that the majority of the world was plagued with.

And her eyes…

She stared at her eyes. She no longer held the innocence she once had at 12. The emerald orbs still had their light, but there was no more innocence in their viridian depths. There were shadowed emotions that many others would not understand or distinguish. After all, how could somebody understand or recognize something they never lived through or known.

Sakura tore her gaze and sped through the shower process and left put on her Shinobi suit as usual, and left her room. She saw Kakashi at the corner of the hallway, a concerned and worried look in his eyes, unknowingly revealing to the pinkette that he knew her mission and would be heartbroken if she didn't return to him.

She had taken him in, it was amazing how she had gotten to the otherwise arrogant and serious teen, in a short time. To be honest, when she offered to live with him, she expected him to reject her comfort, her love. Things weren't as they always seemed though.

She thought it accurate to think that Kakashi took her in, in a way as well. She had been lonely for a vast amount of her profession on the battlefield. Sakura had lost her loved ones one by one, like everyone was on a black platform, a hole in the ground opening up below a person's feet, consuming them a having no return policy, a guessing game. The catch was that no one seemed to win, perhaps only the antagonists. She had gone through far more than her adopted brother. She wouldn't know what to do with herself if she had to live by herself too.

One can only cope and live with so much loneliness and desolation. Sakura knew and learned that much from experience and witnessing through others' perspective. If Kakashi had been stoic and arrogant to hide his pain, then the mask was cracking now. Him and Obito still went at each other's throats it seemed, but now there were more emotions seeping out of the silver haired teen, letting other people get close to him.

She walked towards him and planted a kiss on his forehead after lifting his Hitai ate upwards. A kiss on the brow represents the adoration and affection towards a loved one. Sakura's intention was to show Kakashi that she still loved him as family and would do anything in her power to protect him.

"I'll be back Kakashi, I made dinner, you just need to reheat it, when you're feeling hungry that is." He didn't say anything, only nodded, stepping aside to let Sakura have access to the hallway.

The night was a clash between warm with a light cool breeze swaying, the moon only a crescent. Sakura took in a breath through her nose and took to the roofs towards the village gates.

The Hokage, Minato, and Shizune were already there, only needing to delay for the time until Tsunade and Jiraiya arrived.

She said her greetings and waited for the remaining persons to arrive. She needed to discuss any other information she knew about Orochimaru and Kabuto, before they placed themselves into his underground base.

Sakura was dogged to finish the bastards off, as to completely annihilate any further damage to the delicate future.

But she also was damn well informed that she had to play her cards smartly, playing Shogi with a certain genius wasn't all for fun and fooling around, after all.

Even without Kabuto's full power from ingesting Orochimaru's faculty, he was still a handful, very bothersome. Then the pedo snake bastard as well, she held a grudge towards him as well, for all the things he committed and what he wouldn't be able to do when they were finished with him, but she already decided to end Kabuto's life by her hands. But with the assistance of Shizune. The pretty brunette had been like an older sister to Sakura in her other timeline. But now, they were about the same age, if not a few years difference, but the strong-headed pinkette wouldn't let harms way pass through to anyone without taking herself down first.

She noticed she had thought things similar, of not letting anyone else getting harmed or killed. She just beseeched that God, Hime, and the flickering souls of her friends would be able to help her in her life-long mission and fervent desire of protecting her loved ones this time.

Then, after leaning on the walls of the open gates for a few minutes, she heard the approaching footfalls of heels and platform sandals briskly let the rest of the group come to their surroundings again and prepare to teleport to Otogakure.

Minato stood at the center and instructed everyone to join hands. Once that was done, they vanished and reappeared at a different location instantly. The feeling was very jarring and inharmonious, having gravity pulling you so forcefully and feeling as if the stomach and liver switched places within seconds. Though it was unpleasant, better that, compared to traveling several days to arrive near the last sighting of Orochimaru's current base.

"Arigato, Minato-san. I'll see you later." Sakura waved, as he wished everyone good luck and returned to Konoha to supervise over the village and his team. Though he'd return them back when they finished fighting Orochimaru and Kabuto, using one of his kunai to reverse-summon him there.

After watching Minato's form dematerialize, they took off towards the trees, heading 1km north towards the hideout of the two temes. The utter hatred towards them were boiling within her hard, toned abdomen. The strong bitter flavor of vengeance overwhelming her taste buds.

Although her insides were aflame and her sadistic and bloodthirsty animalistic traits were consuming her form slowly as they neared the base, Sakura remained cool and focused on the outside.

"We'll be lucky to be there in time before he decides to change locations of his base. He periodically relocates his base, usually every week or fortnight. That's why you couldn't effortlessly pinpoint Orochimaru's whereabouts, Jiraiya-san." Sakura stated. Although she knew fully well that the toad Sannin was a despicable pervert, she still held respect towards him as a Shinobi who took his work seriously when needed.

"You…" Jiraiya began, attempting to voice his question to Sakura, but his tongue seemed to be clipped. Everyone else kept bounding onward, getting closer to their destination by the second, but also listened in on the side conversations.

"Yes?" Sakura pressed, tilting her head in his direction, taking in his stressed features as he was having difficulty with what he needed to say.

"You know what it's like, what Orochimaru really must have gone through, when he lost his parents, because you've experienced his pain firsthand, right in front of you." He stated solemnly, looking over at Sakura as the rest of the search party did, and saw her stoic mask crack, as her teeth dug into her lower lip, leaking out a line of blood to ooze out, her fists clenched, eyes forcefully staring forward.

She didn't pay heed to the traitorous salty drops run down her face, only to land on Tsunade's cheeks, who was behind the pinkette. Tsunade portrayed a woebegone outer expression. Mouth ajar and honey eyes wide with pity and shock. She, as well as many other Shinobi and Kunoichi alike, have experienced the hardships of losing ones dear and irreplaceable.

Tsunade couldn't even think of what it was like for her apprentice. Soul-wrenching. With her mentality, she couldn't come up with a more fitting word for that, of what she had heard from her sensei about Sakura. Maybe there was no description, maybe there shouldn't be one. The blond, as well as the others were brought out of their various trances, and Sakura pulled them out into reality again.

"Orochimaru's pain is nothing compared to mine!" Sakura opined, stomping faster, causing the branch that took the force to snap and fall unceremoniously to the ground.

After a few minutes of silence and Sakura calming down, she reminded herself to talk strategy before entering the base.

"I'm aware you all know Orochimaru's fighting style, and also Kabuto's. I ask to take on Kabuto, with Shizune alongside me. And that the rest of you take on the snake. His bases are swarming of his experiments, subordinates and guards, also many closed doors. He may intend to mess with us, trying to make us have to search for him through the underground maze.

But he may already know we are arriving, I'm not really sure of his sensory skills."

'_But being the snake he is, he is looking and killing, for blood, and new vessels.' _Sakura inwardly added.

Her face felt evidently colder where the tears leaked out of her tear ducts, and flowing from her eyes.

'_Crying. How much more of that will I do?' _

"We're here!" Sarutobi exclaimed, having everyone halt, and Sakura to snap out of her thoughts.

"We need to destroy the place." Exclaimed Jiraiya, about to step forward before a hand in front of his torso stopped his movements.

"Be reasonable, Jiraiya! He committed crimes of various levels, he's bound to have hostages and other innocent lives down there with him, locked in cellars or used for his experiments. We can't afford to be hasty!" Tsunade rationalized, her orbs holding the ever burning Will of Fire within the hazel hues.

"She's right, Jiraiya. Don't cloud your mind of Orochimaru, you'll put us and others at risk if you continue to have the same look in your eyes." The Hokage knowingly stated to his troubled peer. The Toad Sage's previous ruminating eyes were now widened in recognition and sternness.

Sakura and Shizune remained mute during this, as they merely observed with solemn expressions.

They both knew what it was like to lose someone close to you. Shizune, being her parents and uncle, Dan, who was also Tsunade's deceased lover.

For Sakura, her friends, comrades, patients, parents, family-figures, senseis, her home, nation, and team. They all made the KIA, or Killed In Action list. But their deaths were honorable and they each had given her the boost of determination and willpower to cope with the past events.

'_Their reasons for fighting in the war and their will hasn't vanished from the world, whether the past, present, or future. There hope of world peace is undaunted. The burden is all on my shoulders, they will receive the thanks from me that they deserve, for all that they've done, for me, and everyone they influenced. When I'm finished with my mission of having the future bright for all my loved ones. To not relive the hatred and pain. I'm the support holding the bridge up, and I'm also the builder. The bridge that will lead everyone to peace…I'll do everything in my willpower to help them be happy, until my last dying breath…' _

She understood the situation the teammates of Orochimaru were going through, as her, Naruto and Kakashi-sensei, had felt the same towards about Sasuke for several years. They all had been persistent and desperate in finding their teammate, just as the Hokage and Sannin had. The major differences were, that when Sakura attempted to kill Sasuke, her feet had turned to thin crumbling paper, her whole form frozen with a thick blanket of ice and her emotions, with her hand clasping the kunai only millimeters from Sasuke's clan symbol on his shirt.

She wasn't able to kill the man she supposedly loved and cared about. And in the end, their teammate returned to them and tried to do good until death did them part. Here, the two Sannin and Hokage couldn't bring back their remaining teammate, but have to kill him. They had no other option but bring Orochimaru down. Though, she understood them, that didn't make Sakura despise the bastard and his bastard subordinate any notch less.

Sakura looked over at Shizune, then at the place where Jiraiya was crouched, having his hands in a sign for a shadow clone, his eyes the familiar sage mode, though his was incomplete, unlike Naruto's had been, meaning there was also a power difference.

"He found some hostages in a room, and sent a clone to retrieve them discreetly before we were to destroy the place." Shizune said monotonously, answering the question in the pinkette's head.

The air then changed, the atmosphere deadened, until a clone of Jiraiya came in view a few feet in front of her, as the clone gently placed the little girl and a teen boy, from his arms and shoulders, before disappearing in a cloud of smoke. Shizune and Sakura checked for injuries, the petrified kids were both blonde and blue eyed. It unnerved Sakura, there were too many blondes and blue-eyed kids who reminded her of Ino, Naruto, Marika…

While The Hokage and the two Sannin destroyed the base the worst happened. The kids' eyes widened and their mouths gaping as they seemed to be dry-heaving. Sakura and Shizune attempted to calm them down, only to jump back as they both morphed into the two people that the occupants had come to kill, while the demolished and oil-coated base was consumed in roaring flames behind them.

The others, took their battle stances, arms ready and death glares and sneers echoed from them, looking at the gray-haired teen, and snake next to each other. They both turned their hunger-crazed eyes towards the pinkette, both showing immediate interest in her, as they threw sickening, chilling smirks while lingering their stares on her body and eyes.

Their sadistic and blood-thirsty eyes sent chills up her spine, though it wasn't the pleasurable kind. She remembered those demon-spawns, and seen them too often in her other timeline, she may be skilled at hiding things, but she never really got used to those kind of lingering stares directed at her.

"Hmm. It looks like a pretty little guest is joining usss." Orochimaru purred.

"So it seems, Orochimaru-sama." Kabuto agreed.

"This ends now, Orochimaru!" Jiraiya exclaimed, causing for the pale-skinned sadist to avert his attention to his former teammates.

"My, my. Still the fool, Jiraiya. You were always the idiotic, and artless one of the…team."

"Enough, Orochimaru! We didn't come here to talk." Hiruzen enunciated.

"Indeed old man. I'm been stiff lately, I need to stretch a bit, this will be entertaining." The snake finished, eyeing Sakura again with the same petrifying eyes. She recognized the rapidly growing thirst and craving for blood and darkness, the eyes were the key to the soul after all.

Knowing her cue, Shizune executed poison gas to cloud the area with thick purple toxicant. The area of the cloud was enough to separate the two criminals to fight with the scheduled opponents.

Arriving at Orochimaru's location, the team members of the Snake Sannin made the necessary pricking of the thumb and signs for summoning. On the now open field, the fire having stopped, there was Gamabunta, Katsuyu, Enma, and Manda, as they all prepared their offense moves.

* * *

Sakura held her usual battle stance, right leg back and right arm held back, in a ready position for punching. Shizune held her arms parallel, in front of her, leaving her long sleeves to hide her hidden weapons. Kabuto steadied his gaze to a more serious and focused stare, taking in his two opponents. A fight of medic ninjas.

* * *

"This is interesting indeed, a well-deserved workout." Mused the teme, as he observed his scotched Triple Rashomon. A huge heap at everyone's feet as they regained lost oxygen.

"And I should've recognized earlier. The pink-haired beauty, is no other than the destined child of the once powerful, compassionate, and discreet Haruno clan. 'The child of prophecy' you could say." He continued, worrying the others of his suspicious discovery of their emerald-eyed comrade.

"How do you know about her? What do you know about her clan's history?" Tsunade demanded, honey orbs ablaze with protective and motherly instincts boiling in her for her apprentice. Just like she had been towards Sakura in the other lifetime.

Orochimaru let out a deranged laugh, fit for him, as he was non compos mentis for years it seemed.

* * *

"You're a medical ninja, like me." The teen stated almost respectively, as he was nearly winded. The brunette managed to pierce him with some poisoned senbon, and the pinkette used her chakra scalpel to pierce and cut his muscle tissue in his left thigh and abdomen. Craters of various length and size, along with water, and senbon decorated the earth in a frightening and intimidating manner.

Sakura clenched her teeth, thinking it repulsive that he'd say something like that.

With pure loathe and venom colored and laced in her words, she retorted,

"I'm nothing like you, teme!"

Charging forward out of rage, she didn't notice his arm silently hold a syringe behind his back, waiting for her to get close enough to him.

Pulling her fist back and about to make contact with Kabuto's face, Shizune saw the syringe appear too late, not making it in time to get Sakura out-of-the-way, as her own legs rendered useless due to Kabuto's own chakra scalpel.

"Sakura!"

'_oh, shit!'_

A sharp jab was heard, as the foreign and dirty-looking substance traveled through the pinkette's bloodstream, through her jugular. Emerald gems widened, flashing red at first as adrenaline pulsed uncomfortably all around and chocked wails came out of her larynx, the burning sensation made her feel as if her insides were in flames.

"Heh, heh, you should control your emotions more, the Shinobi world has no place for damsels and fools." Kabuto scolded, completely arrogant now that he injected the liquid.

"What did you do to her?!" Shizune enjoined, desperately crawling to her comrade to help somehow.

"I injected a highly potent substance, it disrupts the nervous system and messes with the body reactions and recognitions, making her vision hazy, her skin cold and numb, her insides feeling on fire, and every little wound or scratch, to be 10 times more painful. Let me demonstrate." Smirked the gray-haired teen, taking a kunai and crouching to Sakura's level, as she lay on the ground. Having heard his words, she tried to pry away from his advancements, but it did no good, her loopy state and all other symptoms, having her body functions on haywire.

"Don't touch her!" Yelled the brunette, throwing more weapons his way in an attempt to get the lunatic away from the fallen young adult.

'_scratch' _a little bead of blood oozed out and the after-affects took place. Sakura felt like that one little prick was as if Sasori had stabbed through her torso again. Unbearable.

'_I'm being careless again…' _Sakura nearly deadpanned.

* * *

Orochimaru was surrounded, Manda was fatally wounded, he himself was out of breath and badly wounded and exposed, Tsunade's fist millimeters away from the back of his head, Enma and Hiruzen having blades in contact with his sides, and Jiraiya having activated the incomplete Sage mode staring at his gold snake eyes.

"What do you know about Sakura?!" The Hokage pressed.

"Heh, heh, heh. Oh, how pitiful, the poor child she was, having to erase her memory, and forget her dear sister. And to think she's still standing strong, under all the weight of her deceased, she hasn't subdued to the hatred of her clan. I'll leave her with a parting gift, so she can know and embrace hatred, just like her teammate had." Then his form hazed until he disappeared altogether, baffling and angering the others, making a mad dash to Shizune and Sakura.

'_He said her clan was compassionate, and from what the Second Hokage had said as well, it doesn't add up, now mentioning her clan's hatred.' _Contemplated an irritated Sarutobi, still running to help the other women.

* * *

Before Kabuto had been able to continue torturing Sakura, She pulsed a few specks of lightning to her heart to kick start it and help her reaction time, effectively surprising Kabuto as she now had him straddled and beating his face to a pulp. He was now barely alive and conscious from her blows, his hands were pierced to the ground by deeply embedded kunai through the tissue and bone.

All her hatred and rage towards him was put into her brutal punches, making a gallon of blood splash up along the length of her arms, and blending in with her crimson sleeve-less shirt. She used her strength all she had left to kill him with the blood-stained skin of his face being unrecognizable, being torn and inflamed, his glasses cracked and on the floor to his side.

She punched for all he would've repeated if not for killing him then and there, for her friends, family, home, everything, everything she lost, everything she had and lost, all involving a major contributor being Yakushi Kabuto. With one final blow, with chakra, she finished him off, feeling no pulse, but stabbing him in the neck with another kunai to be sure he would drown in his blood if he was somehow still breathing.

The substance was still in affect, as her blows had put pain in her every time she came in contact with his face. But she was certain it would wear off in a few days, if not, then her research would come in handy to make an antidote or counteract the liquid.

Then she felt the change of air as another form with long black hair and gold snake eyes came towards her.

She backed away from him as he could no longer reach her. That is, until his neck stretched, mouth ajar, revealing bared sharp teeth, and went for her neck.

'_Shit!'_

His teeth came in contact with her creamy skin and left the flesh on fire, having Sakura going in another episode like prior. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head, clutching her head, sending comforting green chakra to soothe it. She then saw a flash of spiky yellow hair and a green flak jacket appear in front of her in a protective crouch, finishing off Orochimaru, before drowsiness took its toll on her and she reluctantly shut her eyelids.

* * *

**A/N: **Gomen! Gomen! Gomen! Please forgive me for not updating! But I made sure to do it and make it longer. Please let me know how I did! Arigato everyone!


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